| Niagara Falls |
| General Facts |
| Actually is consisted of three falls: American Falls, Bridal Falls, and Canadian (Horseshoe) Falls Average Heights from rim to bottom: American Falls ~ 185 ft; Canadian Falls ~ 175 ft Width: 3,520 ft Where: Located in the far northwestern region of New York State. It is bordered by Lake Ontario to the north and Canada lies to the west. A little farther south are Lake Erie and Buffalo. Much fertile farmland is located to the east along the Niagara River between the United States and Canada. Amount of Water Flow: 40 million gallons of water per minute "Niagara", in Iroquois, means "thunder of the waters" |
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| Geologic History |
| Glaciers have made much difference in the geological appearance of the Falls and the Niagara Gorge. When glacial waters in the eastern Great Lakes region had dropped to the Iroquois level, the Niagara limestone terrace in the vicinity of Buffalo ceased to be covered by lake water, and Niagara Rver came into existence by flowing northward over this limestone plain. Since then, the falls have receded upstream to their present position. Recession of the falls caused by the breaking off of blocks of limestone due to undermining of the soft shales. Glaciers also left behind drumlins, moraines, kames, kettles, outwash plains, eskers, erraticals, and marginal lakes. |
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