157 years ago Niagara Falls stopped flowing

[LabattBlue]

All my years in WNY, I don't ever remember anyone mentioning this. Would have been cool to see some pictures of it.

 

The account below is from http://www.iaw.on.ca/~falls/faq.html

 

Unfortunately, news reports in 1848 were stretchy at best. The exact times that Niagara Falls ran dry was not specifically recorded. It however began near midnight on March 29th 1848 and the early morning of March 30th 1848. The full effect of the ice jam upstream at the mouth of the Niagara River at Lake Erie did not take full effect until well into the day of March 30th. The water stopped flowing for approximately 30 - 40 hours before the flow of water at Niagara Falls had returned to normal on the late evening of March 31st and/or early morning hours of April1st 1848.

 

Sources for the following account are attributed to:

 

Buffalo Commercial Advertised - March 30th 1848

Buffalo Express - March 31st 1848

The Iris of Niagara Falls, New York - March 31st 1848

 

On March 29th 1848, papers reported that Niagara Falls ran dry. During a weather related occurrence, a south-west gale blowing off of Lake Erie caused ice to jam and dam up at the mouth of the Niagara River causing the water flow to be severely restricted. The water over the Horseshoe Falls and American Falls to be reduced to a trickle for approximately thirty (30) to forty (40) hours. The roar of the Falls fell silent. One of the first residents to notice the deafening silence was farmer, Jed Porter of Niagara Falls, New York. During the late evening of March 29th, he left home for a stroll along the river near the American Falls and realized the thundering roar of the Falls was absent. A closer examination revealed the amount of the water flowing over the Falls had been greatly diminished.

 

Residents awoke on the morning of March 30th to an eerie silence and realized something was amiss. People were drawn to the Falls to find that the water flow of the Niagara River had been reduced to a mere trickle. Thomas Clark Street, the owner and operator of the large Bridgewater Mills along the Canadian shore at Dufferin Islands was was awakened by one of his employees at 5 a.m. on March 30th reporting the mill had been shut down because the mill race was empty.

 

By the morning of March 31st, more than 5,000 people had gathered along the banks of the river. All the mills and factories dependant upon water power were stilled.

 

The river bed was quickly drying. Fish and turtles were left floundering on now dry land. A number of people made their way into the gorge to the riverbed. Here they saw articles that had been lay on the river's bottom that had been hidden for hundreds of years. Souvenirs picked up included bayonets, guns barrels, muskets, tomahawks and other artifacts of the War of 1812.

 

Other spectators were able to walk out onto the river bed that had only hours earlier been a torrent of rapids and would have resulted in certain death. It became a tourist and media event. People on foot, on horseback or by horse and buggy, crossed the width of the Niagara River. It was a historical event that had never occurred during recorded time and has never been duplicated since.

 

A squad of soldiers of the U.S. Army Cavalry rode their horses up and down the river bed as an exhibition.

 

Below the Falls, workers from the Maid of the Mist were able to venture out onto the river bed and blast away rocks which had normally been a navigation hazard to the Maid of the Mist boat since its inception in 1846. The gorge resonated with the sounds of many explosions as those rocks which normally would have scraped the hull of the boat were removed.

 

The sudden silencing of the roar of the Falls had caused much anxiety and fear amongst the residents and visitors. Some believed that this event was the beginning of a doomsday scenario. On the morning of March 31st the Falls remained silent. Many thousands of people attended special church services on both sides of the border.

 

With each passing hour, the level of fear and anxiety among the residents grew proportionately until the night of March 31st, when a loud low pitched growl and grown was heard coming from upstream. This announced and was quickly followed by the return of the normal flow of water along the Niagara River. A wall of water surged forward at surprising speed, covering again perhaps forever what had been exposed for but a brief historic moment in time. The return of the roar of the Falls, reassured the residents that all was going to be alright and that they could now breathe a huge sigh of relief and return to their normal activities.

 

On the night of March 31st 1848, the wind shifted and the ice dam at the mouth of the Niagara River at Lake Erie broke apart and the river flow returned to its normal rate.

 

The wind is probably the greatest factor which controls the water level in the Niagara River. Remember that a south-west wind 30-50 mph blowing the entire length of the Lake can easily raise the water level in eastern portion of Lake Erie 3-6 feet in several hours. Its very much like a storm water surge that we hear about during the onslaught of a hurricane however on a much lesser scale. This force pushes much more water into the river.

 

In latter part of March 1848, a gale force wind blowing from the south-west for several days before the ice dam occurred. On March 29th 1848, the weather was clear with an air temperature of 7º Celsius (46º Fahrenheit). The wind was blowing very strongly from the south-west. This wind which was blowing over the entire fetch of Lake Erie combined with massive amounts of Lake ice which was in turn pushed into the mouth of the Niagara River. So much ice that the River could not handle it all so it began to jam up at the entrance. The jam became so dense with hundreds of thousands of tons of ice, that it became a water dam which severely restricted the water.

 

On March 31st 1848, the temperature rose to 16º Celsius (64º Fahrenheit) and the wind shifted and strengthened that night causing the ice dam to break apart causing the return of the normal flow of water to the Niagara River.

[JoeF]

Great story Labatt. Does anyone else remember in the late 60's or early 70's when they dammed the Falls to check out the rock erosion--they diverted the water flow to the Horseshoe falls. I can't remember the exact dates..but I do remember my dad taking me (I was 9 or 10 at the time) and him pointing out that the rocks at the base of the falls were as big as our house......

 

I see it -- it mentions the 1969 shut off in the same story at the bottom.

[CoachChuckDickerson]

Cool story. The link doesn't work.

[stuckincincy]

Sketchy? I should think the upstream flooding would have been immense and epic.

[LabattBlue]

Cool story. The link doesn't work.

287520[/snapback]

Try again...

[BB27]

Today, they can stop the water that goes over the falls quite easily. The hydro plant that is just up from the falls can easily take in all the water that is flowing by, and spit it out below the falls. One of the good sides to the hydro plant is that the river will never be dammed due to ice again. There was an interesting program on Discovery that talked about the Niagara Escarpment, and the creation of the falls geologically. They talked briefly about the ice dam and how the hydro plant prevents it from ever happening again, and how they could turn the falls off.

[Fezmid]

Very cool site! I lived there for the first 18 years of my life, and that site has a lot of information that I hadn't even heard of! Thanks.

CW

[Kevbeau]

Today, they can stop the water that goes over the falls quite easily.  The hydro plant that is just up from the falls can easily take in all the water that is flowing by, and spit it out below the falls.  One of the good sides to the hydro plant is that the river will never be dammed due to ice again.  There was an interesting program on Discovery that talked about the Niagara Escarpment, and the creation of the falls geologically.  They talked briefly about the ice dam and how the hydro plant prevents it from ever happening again, and how they could turn the falls off.

287531[/snapback]

 

I saw that program. Amazing that they can pretty much empty the river.

[BillsNYC]

Anybody ever read City of Light?

[stuckincincy]

Today, they can stop the water that goes over the falls quite easily.  The hydro plant that is just up from the falls can easily take in all the water that is flowing by, and spit it out below the falls.  One of the good sides to the hydro plant is that the river will never be dammed due to ice again.  There was an interesting program on Discovery that talked about the Niagara Escarpment, and the creation of the falls geologically.  They talked briefly about the ice dam and how the hydro plant prevents it from ever happening again, and how they could turn the falls off.

287531[/snapback]

 

I can't recall the figures, but the diversion of water that fills the reservoir nightly to feed the Robt. Moses hydro plant is considerable, and has the benefit of reducing erosion at the precipice.

 

The ice boom (and ice back-up) that protects the water intakes in winter has been variously claimed to reduce the early spring WNY temperature by a few degrees.

[stuckincincy]

Anybody ever read City of Light?

287542[/snapback]

 

Yep. WNY was a real big cheese at the turn of the century and later, until the Welland Canal and the St. Lawrence Seaway rendered Buffalo etc. obsolete.

[NCDAWG]

i was at the second one in 1969. Have pictures of me walking around the mostly dry riverbed...coool

[LabattBlue]

i was at the second one in 1969.  Have pictures of me walking around the mostly dry riverbed...coool

287551[/snapback]

Here's a good shot of the American Falls during the 1969 study....

 

http://www.niagarafrontier.com/Amfallsdewatered1.jpg

 

 

Even better one(I had no idea how much loose rock is at the base of the American Falls)...

 

http://www.niagarafallslive.com/images/Ame..._Falls_1969.jpg

[stuckincincy]

i was at the second one in 1969.  Have pictures of me walking around the mostly dry riverbed...coool

287551[/snapback]

 

Yep, the Corps of Engineers study of erosion of the face of the American Falls. I had photos, but my sisters took them, along with the family heirlooms. I ask you, what is it with a family's women that they think that such are their exclusive possessions?

[Kevbeau]

Here's a good shot of the American Falls during the 1969 study....

 

http://www.niagarafrontier.com/Amfallsdewatered1.jpg

Even better one(I had no idea how much loose rock is at the base of the American Falls)...

 

http://www.niagarafallslive.com/images/Ame..._Falls_1969.jpg

287554[/snapback]

 

Great Pics. Tough to get the full effect without something to put it in perspective. The crain in the 2nd pic helps

[Mark Long Beach]

Anyone want to go over in a barrel after looking at those pictures?

[gantrules]

Really neat stuff!!! I never knew they shut the falls off completely!

[Sound_n_Fury]

This is some funny stuff. Could you imagine something like this happening today:

 

http://www.niagarafrontier.com/work.html#Michigan

 

Schooner "Michigan"

 

It wasn't until some years after the bitter fighting along the shores of the Niagara River during the War of 1812, that Niagara started to come into its own as a tourist attraction.

 

By the 1820's there were three hotels catering to the visitors of Niagara Falls. These hotel owners were responsible for the first stunt over the Falls in order to attract attention of members of the public and to boost the tourist trade.

 

The Canadian tourism was growing while factories lined the banks of the American shore.

 

In 1827, William Forsyth of the Pavilion Hotel with the help of John Brown of the Ontario House and General Parkhurst Whitney of the Eagle Hotel in Niagara Falls, New York staged the very first tourist stunt at Niagara Falls.

 

Forsyth bought an old condemned lake schooner named "Michigan"

 

The "Michigan" was 16 feet from keel to the deck. The water depth at the crest of the Horseshoe Falls was nearly twenty feet deep back then (presently 3 - 5 feet).

 

The hotel owners then advertised in advance that they would send the schooner over the Horseshoe Falls on September 8th 1827.

 

A dozen or so wild animals were placed on board and the event took place as advertised before an estimated crowd of 15,000 people. The animals placed on board the doomed ship included a buffalo, two small bears, two raccoons, a dog and a goose. To further add to the stunt the ship was decorated to look like a pirate ship with dummies of humans tied to the deck.

 

With a crowd estimated at 15,000, the ship was released into the currents of the upper Niagara River on September 8th 1827. As the Michigan reached the rapids, it's hull was torn open and the schooner began filling with water.

 

The two bears running loose on deck jumped free of the schooner into the rapids. They were were able to swim to Goat Island. The other animals were caged or tied to the ship died when the schooner went over the Horseshoe Falls. At the base of the Falls, only the goose had survived the plunge and was rescued.

[PTS]

Here's a good shot of the American Falls during the 1969 study....

 

http://www.niagarafrontier.com/Amfallsdewatered1.jpg

Even better one(I had no idea how much loose rock is at the base of the American Falls)...

 

http://www.niagarafallslive.com/images/Ame..._Falls_1969.jpg

287554[/snapback]

 

Why don't they shut the falls off again, and remove the rocks on the American side so it doesn't have to suck.

[gmac17]

The water depth at the crest of the Horseshoe Falls was nearly twenty feet deep back then

 

 

???? really?

 

wow

[Sound_n_Fury]

Why don't they shut the falls off again, and remove the rocks on the American side so it doesn't have to suck.

287611[/snapback]

 

Sound like a plan. Please send the New York State Parks Department a couple billion dollars and they'll get right to work on it.

[LabattBlue]

Why don't they shut the falls off again, and remove the rocks on the American side so it doesn't have to suck.

287611[/snapback]

From one of the url's in an earlier post.....

 

"The flow over the American Falls was stopped completely for several months

in 1969. The idea was to determine the feasibility of removing the large

amount of loose rock from the base of the falls to enhance it's appearance.

In the end the final decision was that the expense would be too great."

[gmac17]

Why don't they shut the falls off again, and remove the rocks on the American side so it doesn't have to suck.

 

we should just invade canada so we can get the better falls. Seriously though, our falls is embarassing.

[BillsNYC]

we should just invade canada so we can get the better falls. Seriously though, our falls is embarassing.

287628[/snapback]

 

I still remember the Labatt Blue comercial that channel 11 (Candian Station) showed in Buffalo

 

"Isn't it great that our Falls are better than theirs? Well, the same goes for beer"

[stuckincincy]

From one of the url's in an earlier post.....

 

"The flow over the American Falls was stopped completely for several months

in 1969. The idea was to determine the feasibility of removing the large

amount of loose rock from the base of the falls to enhance it's appearance.

In the end the final decision was that the expense would be too great."

287625[/snapback]

 

Hmmm...IIRC, a factor was that removal of the rubble would furthur expose the face to erosion. The river bed, Falls and gorge is topped with so-called Lockport dolomite, a hard limestone, but is underlain with the so-called Rochester sandstone, which is readily eroded. Several other strata exist.

[BRH]

Sound like a plan.  Please send the New York State Parks Department a couple billion dollars and they'll get right to work on it. 

287621[/snapback]

Easy. Just get a few earthmovers and push all that rock over to the Canadian side.

[aussiew]

So while we're on the subject of the falls. Does anyone know what that rusted barge is doing jammed above the Horseshoe falls. It was there the whole time I lived in WNY and is still there.

[LabattBlue]

So while we're on the subject of the falls.  Does anyone know what that rusted barge is doing jammed above the Horseshoe falls. It was there the whole time I lived in WNY and is still there.

287649[/snapback]

The story of the barge getting stuck....

 

http://www.niagarafrontier.com/scow.html

[stuckincincy]

The story of the barge getting stuck....

 

http://www.niagarafrontier.com/scow.html

287652[/snapback]

 

Thanks - good story.

 

For anybody interested, here's a short rundown about the WNY geology. No surprise about flooded basements in the area...

 

http://www.iaw.com/~falls/origins.html

[BB27]

Private boats go over the falls on a fairly regular basis. They break free from their moorings or docks, and float down until they go over. Occasionally they get hung up on the rocks and are eventually towed out. I remember being a little kid (7 or 8) and my father taking me to the falls. We actually saw a boat coming down the Niagara River. We watched it for at least an hour as it would get caught on the rocks, sit for a while, and then move a little closer. We watched it disappear over the falls. It would have been really great to see it from a better spot and actually see it hit the bottom. We were on goat island I think when we watched it.

[aussiew]

That's so cool! Thank you LB.

[Wacka]

From one of the url's in an earlier post.....

 

"The flow over the American Falls was stopped completely for several months

in 1969. The idea was to determine the feasibility of removing the large

amount of loose rock from the base of the falls to enhance it's appearance.

In the end the final decision was that the expense would be too great."

287625[/snapback]

 

Actually, the rubble is holding up the face of the falls. It would erode into a long rapids if the rubble was removed. Eventually , the American falls will be no more when the Horseshoe falls erodes back far enough. The horseshoe falls was almost a quarter mile further downstream (very near the American Falls) when Father Hennipen (the first white man to see it) "discovered" it in the 1600's.

[KRT88]

Why don't they shut the falls off again, and remove the rocks on the American side so it doesn't have to suck.

287611[/snapback]

 

 

I'm hoping you aren't serious.

 

The talus actually helps the face of the American falls from collasping. Removing it would likely destroy the American falls in a rather short period time.

[Tcali]

Today, they can stop the water that goes over the falls quite easily.  The hydro plant that is just up from the falls can easily take in all the water that is flowing by, and spit it out below the falls.  One of the good sides to the hydro plant is that the river will never be dammed due to ice again.  There was an interesting program on Discovery that talked about the Niagara Escarpment, and the creation of the falls geologically.  They talked briefly about the ice dam and how the hydro plant prevents it from ever happening again, and how they could turn the falls off.

287531[/snapback]

Yeah--it was a British production actually.It was terrific....

[don_of_manhattan]

Great story Labatt.  Does anyone else remember in the late 60's or early 70's when they dammed the Falls to check out the rock erosion--they diverted the water flow to the Horseshoe falls.  I can't remember the exact dates..but I do remember my dad taking me (I was 9 or 10 at the time) and him pointing out that the rocks at the base of the falls were as big as our house......

 

I see it -- it mentions the 1969 shut off in the same story at the bottom.

287518[/snapback]

 

It was pretty cool - they gated off a small piece of the bed so that you could walk where water normally flows.

[ExiledInIllinois]

That is an amazing story!

 

Did it mention where the water went during the period of the ice-dam? It had to back up and raise the elevations of the upper Niagara/Lake Erie? I sense that was the anxiety along with the imminent surge of water when the thing broke?

 

I take the population was a lot more sparse back then and the flooding that ensued in the surrounding area was not that destructive?

 

This had to be well before the inner and outer breakwaters were constructed at Buffalo, severly leaving the city's waterfront vulnerable to "slosh" or seiche... Thus making the ice at the mouth more apt to move in such a pattern? Not to mention fewer obstructions along the way, ie: bridges, Black Rock Channel, etc...

 

I can't imagine the ice forming locally with such a swift moving current?

 

I guess that is why we have the ice-boom now? People don't realize that when then pressure behind the boom gets too great, some ice is realeased down the river over the boom.

[ExiledInIllinois]

we should just invade canada so we can get the better falls. Seriously though, our falls is embarassing.

287628[/snapback]

 

Actually, I remember hearing somewhere that early on the American side was quite nice. The Falls and the area in NY was well on its way to being ruined by human exploit and economical development if it weren't for NYS creating the first state park in the country there?

 

Ah... How we pine for the good ole days?

[ExiledInIllinois]

Hmmm...IIRC, a factor was that removal of the rubble would furthur expose the face to erosion. The river bed, Falls and gorge is topped with so-called Lockport dolomite, a hard limestone, but is underlain with the so-called Rochester sandstone, which is readily eroded. Several other strata exist.

287635[/snapback]

 

Which explains why NF will be a nice set of rapids in front of Buffalo in a couple thousand years?

 

What exatly is the time frame? Doesn't it move south so many inches a year?

[KRT88]

It used to move several feet a year but since the restrict the amount of water that flows over the falls it has slowed. Not sure of the exact figures.

[Sen. John Blutarsky]

Which explains why NF will be a nice set of rapids in front of Buffalo in a couple thousand years?

288079[/snapback]

 

And both people who still live in Buffalo will be locked in a debate over where to build the new Peace Bridge over them.