💧😲 Throwback to the day the mighty Niagara Falls stood still 😲💧
It’s hard to believe, but back in 1969, the American side of Niagara Falls actually ran dry. For six whole months, the powerful cascade of water was halted by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers so they could study erosion on the American Falls.
Engineers built a temporary rock and earth dam to divert the flow of the Niagara River, leaving behind a surreal, moon-like landscape littered with boulders and debris that had been hidden beneath the raging water for centuries. Tourists came in droves to witness the once-in-a-lifetime sight—Niagara Falls without its roar.
It’s a powerful reminder that even nature’s greatest forces can be paused (briefly!) with enough planning, and it gave scientists invaluable insight into preserving one of the world’s natural wonders.
The only other time the falls ran dry was in 1848 due to an ice jam upriver. The flow of water over both the American and Horseshoe falls ceased for about 30-40 hours. Locals were able to walk across the riverbed and collect artifacts and fossils. It was a rare and short-lived event caused entirely by nature.Â