Archive for August, 2008

Visitors and those online often ask me about Niagara, so here are some facts based on the most often asked questions …

How deep is the Niagara river?
The deepest part of the river is right below the Falls. The depth equals the height of the falls, or 170 feet (52 metres)

What is the sludge in the river below the Falls?
It is the dirt from the bottom of the river, agitated by the plunging water, and brought to the surface. The white-brown colour is clay, which contains suspended particles of decayed vegetative matter. It is mostly from the shallow eastern basin of Lake Erie and n, it isn’t toxic waste from some chemical plant upriver.

Where does all that water come from?
The area drained by the Niagara River and over Niagara Falls is approximately 264,000 square miles (684,000 square kilometers) consisting mainly of the 4 Great Lakes above Niagara Falls. They are Superior, Michigan, Huron and Erie. To give you an idea of the size of 264,000 square miles, Great Britain (England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are only 152,000 square miles. Germany 137,800 square miles and Japan 147,500 square miles. The water is replenished mainly through rainfall and melting winter snows, but this is important. Only 1% is replenished annually. All the rest is legacy water, or ice age fossil water. The Great Lakes is the world’s largest surface of fresh water. It is nearly 20% of the world supply of fresh water.

What is the weather like in Niagara Falls?
Niagara Falls is located on a similar latitude as that of Napa Valley and the Bordeaux area of France. The climate is ideal for growing grapes and thus there is a huge and popular wine industry in Niagara. Niagara has four seasons, but rarely extreme. Summer can bot very hot and the humidity is high making it feel hotter than it really is.

Is Niagara Falls the highest in the world?
No. There are about 500 other waterfalls that are higher than any of the three waterfalls that make up Niagara Falls. The Angel Falls in Venezuela is the tallest at 3,312 feet (979 metres) which is nearly double the height of the CN Tower in Toronto. But, and here’s the important thing about Niagara Falls, very few of these higher fall have much water flowing over them. So it is the combination of the height of the Falls and the huge volume of water flowing over them that make Niagara Falls so spectacular. Of course it also helps that Niagara is so accessible.

What are names of the three Falls and how high are they?
The American Falls shown in the first picture above is 70-110 feet high (21-34 metres). The reason for the variation is because the measurement is taken from the top or brink of the American falls to the rock pile at the bottom. The rock pile slopes. If you measure the American Falls from the crestline to the river below, is is 188 feet (57 metres). The Canadian or Horseshoe Falls shown in the second picture above, plunges straight down 188 feet (57 metres). The Bridal Veil Falls shown in the first picture to the right of the American Falls, is only 50 feet wide and is located immediately north of the American Falls. The height is also 188 feet to the river below.

Do the Falls erode the rock and move?
Yes. Niagara Falls has moved 7 miles since it was formed just over 12,000 years ago. Some scientists believe that it is the fastest ‘moving’ waterfall in the world. By ‘moving’ I mean eroding the rock and moving south (the Niagara River flows north). In fact, just a 200 years ago, the Horseshoe Falls was located 100-150 feet further north. In the 1950’s and 60’s major treaties were signed between Canada and the U.S. to control water flow over the Falls. This was done to provide for hydroelectric power and to reduce the erosion of the falls themselves. Thus the actual erosion today is far less than historically.

How much water flows over the Falls?
Well that depends on the time of day and the season. During daytime hours, when the tourists are at their peak, about 6 million cubic feet (168,000 cubic metres) of water rushes over the Falls every minute.

Which Falls is the largest?
The Canadian, or Horseshoe Falls is the largest. The crestline is 2,200 feet (670 metres). The crestline of the American Falls is 850 Feet (260 metres), and the Bridal Veil Falls is 50 feet (15 metres) wide.

How much power is produced at Niagara Falls?
About 4 million kilowatts of electricity, shared by Canada and the U.S. The electricity is produced clean and carbon-free. Enough power to light 50 million 100 watt light bulbs at once. Wow, and the power is renewable too.

Do you have a specific question that you would like answered here? Send me an e-mail.

Planning a trip to Niagara, or traveling anywhere for that matter? Here are a few travel tips to help you enjoy your trip more and to help get you home safe.

* If traveling with children, be sure to do some research in advance. This will help your kids – and of course yourself – enjoy the places and culture rather than wonder what’s going on. With the Internet you can find everything you need to know.

* If you are flying, be sure to carry water and lip-balm. This will help to keep you from having chapped lips due to the dry airplane air and the stress of flying. Water is necessary to keep your body systems working properly. With today’s security issues you may have to purchase these items inside security before boarding.

* If you are traveling with children, giving each a security whistle is a great idea. In crowded areas small children can easy become lost in a sea of adults. The whistle will help you find them.

* Don’t forget the sunscreen.

* Be sure you have all the ID necessary for every person traveling. If you are going to cross borders, you should have a passport. In fact, it is hard to understand in this day and age why anyone would not have a passport. Yet many travel without and run into hassles.

I’ll keep posting travel tips from time to time as reminders to help you have a more enjoyable holiday.