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Welcome to a deep dive into one of the world’s most iconic natural wonders! We all know Niagara Falls for its beauty and the mist on our faces, but behind that thundering curtain of water lies a world of staggering statistics, hidden history, and engineering marvels.
Whether you’re a local from the Niagara Region or a first-time visitor, these 20 facts are designed to give you a whole new perspective on the power and scale of the falls. We aren’t just looking at the scenery today—we’re looking at the numbers that power our grid and the geological clock that never stops ticking.
Let’s start with the big one—the sheer weight of it all.
FACT 01
3,160 tons (about 2,870 metric tonnes) of water go over Niagara Falls every second
What the number measures
The figure you see on the poster (3,160 short tons, or 2,870 metric tons per second) represents Niagara’s peak daytime flow when extra water is released for tourist appeal—usually during spring runoff or holiday weekends. The reading comes from gauges overseen by the International Niagara Board of Control, which balances scenic flow with hydro-electric demands.
How it compares
- The Jumbo Jet Drop: A fully loaded Boeing 747 weighs roughly 225 tons. Niagara’s peak flow hurls the equivalent mass of 14 jumbo jets over the edge every single second.
- City-Wide Usage: New York City’s entire daily water use—approximately 1 billion gallons (≈ 4 million cubic meters)—is equivalent to just 25 minutes of Niagara at peak flow.
- Olympic Speed: A regulation Olympic swimming pool—holding about 660,000 gallons (≈ 2 500 cubic meters)—is filled in exactly one second.
Why it matters
That staggering, steady discharge powers one of the world’s largest binational hydro-electric networks. By treaty, roughly 75 percent of the water is left to plunge during daylight for tourism; the rest—and most of the nighttime flow—is diverted through massive tunnels to turbines that supply electricity to millions of Canadian and U.S. homes.
Fact 02
167 ft (About 51 m) — average vertical drop of Horseshoe Falls
What the 167 ft (≈ 51 m) represents
This is the distance from the top of the Horseshoe Falls down to the surface of the river below. It’s the "water-to-water" drop that you see when you're standing at the edge—a massive wall of white water stretching 167 ft (≈ 51 m) high.
Why some publications quote 188 ft (≈ 57 m)
It can be a bit confusing, but both numbers are actually right! While visitors see a 167-ft (≈ 51 m) drop, engineers measure all the way down to the deepest part of the riverbed at the bottom. That underwater section adds another 21 ft (≈ 6 m), bringing the "total" structural height to about 188 ft (≈ 57 m).
Quick sense of scale
- The Statue of Liberty: To give you an idea of the height, the Statue of Liberty stands 151 ft (≈ 46 m) from her heel to her torch. She would fit entirely inside the curtain of falling water with room to spare!
- The Roar: Standing this close to the drop is loud—about 90 to 100 decibels. That is the same volume as a subway train passing by just 50 ft (≈ 15 m) away.
- The Descent: A single drop of water takes approximately 3 seconds to travel from the brink down to the river surface.
Geological note
The falls stay so vertical because of the rock layers. A hard "cap" of stone sits on top of softer shale. As the mist and water eat away at the soft shale underneath, the top layer eventually loses its support and breaks off in huge slabs. This process is what nudges the brink upstream by about 1 ft (≈ 0.3 m) every single year.
FACT 03
12,000 years — Niagara Falls has been carving its gorge since the last Ice Age
How it began
About 12,000 years ago, at the end of the last Ice Age, the massive Laurentide Ice Sheet began to melt and retreat. This sent a torrent of meltwater from the Great Lakes spilling over the Niagara Escarpment. This newborn river started a powerful "sawing" action into the rock, beginning a slow but steady journey upstream.
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| Watercolor split view of Niagara: glacier era vs. today. |
Pace of retreat
Since its birth at what is now Queenston–Lewiston, the falls have migrated roughly 7 miles (≈ 11 km) south to their current Horseshoe shape. While the long-term average retreat was about 3 ft (≈ 1 m) per year, modern engineering and flow control have slowed that down to roughly 1 ft (≈ 0.3 m) per year today.
How young is that?
- Grand Canyon: The Grand Canyon has been carving for 5 to 6 million years—making it about 400 times older than Niagara’s gorge.
- Human perspective: If Earth’s entire 4.5-billion-year history were a single calendar year, Niagara Falls would only appear in the final hour of December 31. It is a geological newborn.
Why it matters
The Falls are a natural laboratory for studying post-glacial landscapes, erosion rates, and climate change. Their ongoing upstream march also threatens nearby infrastructure; engineers have spent over a century stabilizing the crest to slow, but not stop, the river’s relentless chiseling.%20(1).png)
FACT 04
32 °F (0 °C) — typical surface-water temperature at Niagara Falls in mid-winter
What the number means
During January and February, the river’s surface hovers right at the freezing point. While you might see a "skim" of ice on top, the incredibly swift current keeps the water moving so fast that it cannot solidify into a single block. That surface ice actually acts as an insulating blanket for the deeper water flowing beneath it.
Why the falls never "freeze solid"
It is a common myth that the falls can freeze completely solid. In reality, the daytime flow is moving with too much "kinetic energy" to stop. Even during the coldest winters, when the mist flash-freezes into a massive "ice bridge" and the rocks are covered in a thick crust of ice, the turbulent liquid water continues to roar underneath it all.
Seasonal swings
The river goes through some massive temperature changes. In the summer, surface temperatures can climb to a comfortable 70 °F (21 °C), but the cooling in autumn is steep. By late December, the temperature usually drops below 40 °F (4 °C) as the river prepares for its winter "ice palace" phase.
The Ice Boom and the spectacle
- Protecting the Power: Since 1964, a 1.4-mile (≈ 2.2 km) "Ice Boom" of giant steel pontoons has been placed at the mouth of the river every December. This corrals the Lake Erie ice floes so they don’t clog up the hydroelectric intakes downstream.
- The Ice Palace: The famous winter look of Niagara Falls comes from the mist flash-freezing on every tree, railing, and lamp post. It creates a crystalline world that looks like something out of a movie, even while the water itself keeps pouring over the edge.
FACT 05
3 major waterfalls make up “Niagara Falls”: Horseshoe, American, and Bridal Veil
Who’s who and where
- Horseshoe Falls: This is the giant, 2,200-foot-wide (670 m) crescent on the Canadian side. It carries about 90% of the Niagara River’s surface flow and is the source of that iconic, billowing mist cloud.
- American Falls: A straight-edged curtain 1,060 feet (320 m) wide, sitting entirely in the United States. Much of its visible drop is actually cushioned by a massive pile of boulders (called a talus slope) at the base.
- Bridal Veil Falls: A dainty ribbon only 56 feet (17 m) wide, separated from the American Falls by a small piece of land called Luna Island. This is where visitors can get up close on the famous Cave of the Winds boardwalk.
Why three, not one?
The river splits as it flows around Goat Island and the smaller Luna Island. This creates separate channels that spill over different sections of the rocky Niagara Escarpment. Because of how the rock erodes, the Horseshoe Falls is actually getting wider while the American Falls narrows, shifting the "balance of power" toward the Canadian side.
Fun comparisons
- The Powerhouse: The Horseshoe Falls moves more water than every other waterfall in North America combined. To put that in perspective for my U.S. friends, while California’s Yosemite Falls is much taller, it relies on seasonal snowmelt. Niagara is fed by a steady "tap" from the Great Lakes, which hold 20% of the world's fresh surface water.
- The Sibling: Even without the Horseshoe Falls, the American Falls alone would still rank among the top ten most powerful waterfalls on the continent by volume.
- The Ribbon: The Bridal Veil is roughly the width of a basketball court, yet its spray is powerful enough to drench viewers in seconds.
Fact 06
About 90% of fish that tumble over Niagara Falls survive the plunge
How do they make it?
The cataracts generate a thick, aerated cushion of mist and bubbles at the plunge pools below. This “bubble bath” reduces surface tension and softens impact forces, allowing most fish—especially streamlined species like salmon and trout—to pass over unharmed.
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| Illustration of trout leaping above and swimming below Niagara’s Horseshoe Falls. |
A note for the skeptics
It sounds impossible, but fish are built differently than we are. Because they are small and lightweight, they don't hit the water with nearly as much force as a human would. Their bodies are also incredibly pliable and naturally adapted to handle the intense water pressure of a river system.
The Cast of Characters
The Niagara River is home to over 60 species of fish. While the Chinook Salmon and Steelhead (Rainbow Trout) are the most famous "plungers" during their seasonal runs, you’ll also find Smallmouth Bass, Yellow Perch, and even the prehistoric Lake Sturgeon, which can grow up to 7 ft (≈ 2.1 m) long and live for over 50 years.
Why do they take the plunge?
Most fish don’t go over the falls on purpose. The rapids upstream are incredibly rich in nutrients, which draws the fish into the fast-moving current. Once they get too close to the brink, the sheer speed of the water—sometimes reaching 25 mph (≈ 40 km/h)—disorients them, and before they know it, they are riding the "water elevator" down to the lower river.
The "safe" side of the falls
Most fish that go over the falls do so on the Canadian Horseshoe side, which is actually the safest route. Unlike the American Falls, which has a pile of jagged boulders at the base, the Horseshoe Falls plunges into a deep pool about 100 to 150 ft (≈ 30–45 m) deep. This gives the fish plenty of room to decelerate safely.
What happens at the bottom?
While about 90% survive the trip, the 10% that don't make it are often those that strike rocks or can't handle the sudden pressure change. You’ll often see gulls and other birds circling the base of the falls, waiting to catch the few fish that come out of the plunge feeling a bit stunned.
FACT 07
About 23 million people visit Niagara Falls in a typical year
Where the number comes from
Niagara Falls is a global destination, and the visitor counts reflect that. On the Canadian side (Niagara Falls, Ontario), we see about 13 million visits annually. Our neighbors on the U.S. side (Niagara Falls State Park, New York) welcome about 9.5 million. When you add them together, you get a staggering 22 to 23 million visits every single year.
Why it’s “≈” (approximately)
You’ll notice I used the "approximately" symbol on the poster. This is because tourism agencies report slightly different figures each season, and fluctuations like those seen during the pandemic can skew the averages. Using “≈” signals that this is a rounded, honest composite figure rather than a precise daily head-count.
Economic punch
Those 23 million visits do more than just fill our photo albums; they power our local economy. These visitors generate an estimated $2 billion-plus in direct tourism spending across both sides of the border. From the hotels and restaurants to the local boutiques, that "eye candy" fuels thousands of livelihoods in the Niagara Region.
FACT 08
1846 — the year the Maid of the Mist boat service first launched
Origins as a ferry
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| Illustration of the Maid of the Mist boat by Horseshoe Falls. |
Shift to sightseeing
To stay in business, the owners pivoted to tourism in 1854. By 1885, the Maid was offering regular cruises into the heart of the "Thunder of Waters". In those days, ladies in corseted dresses were given rubberized "slickers" to stay dry—a fashion choice the Victorian press absolutely loved.
Evolution of the fleet
- 1892: The steel-hulled Maid No. 2 survived a boiler explosion and returned to service after being repaired.
- 1955: Modern diesel-powered vessels replaced the old steamships, significantly boosting the number of passengers who could ride at once.
- 2020: The fleet entered the future with the James V. Glynn and the Nikola Tesla—the first all-electric, zero-emission passenger catamarans built in the U.S..
By the numbers
- Average Season: The boats typically run from April to November, carrying roughly 1.6 million riders annually today.
- Typical Voyage: Each trip is about a 20-minute round-trip that takes you right into the dense spray of the Horseshoe Falls.
- The Ponchos: Over 1.5 million blue ponchos are handed out every year. Since the 1950s, more than 60 million have been distributed—enough plastic to wrap the CN Tower twice!
Pop-culture cameo
The Maid became a worldwide icon after Marilyn Monroe and Joseph Cotten filmed scenes on the boat for the 1953 movie Niagara. This appearance helped cement the boat and the falls as the ultimate "honeymoon" destination.
FACT 09
500 ft (≈ 152 m) — the mist plume above Niagara Falls can rise this high
When it happens
To see a mist plume reach its full 500-ft (≈ 152 m) potential, you need three specific ingredients. First, you need peak daylight flow over the Horseshoe Falls. Second, a southwest breeze is required to loft that spray straight up the gorge walls. Finally, you need a cool, stable air mass to keep the column from blowing apart. Under these perfect conditions, the vapor column can climb halfway to the top of Toronto’s CN Tower and is easily visible to pilots 12 miles (≈ 20 km) away.
How it’s measured
- Weather Radar: The Canadian weather radar at King City regularly picks up the spray "echo" at heights between 450 and 520 ft (≈ 137–158 m) above the ground.
- Lidar Soundings: In March 2019, NOAA balloon-borne lidar soundings in Buffalo recorded similar heights for the mist column.
- Park Operations: The Niagara Falls State Park operations log uses "over 500 ft" (≈ 152 m) as the standard maximum height shared with local tour operators.
Side effects
- The Weather Maker: This plume is so saturated it can actually create its own "mist flurries," dusting nearby cars and railings with ice crystals up to 0.6 miles (≈ 1 km) away.
- The Rainbow Factory: These tiny droplets are what refract the sunlight to create those famous near-daily rainbows that photographers love.
- Erosion Accelerator: All that persistent moisture gets into the cracks of the gorge walls; when it freezes, it acts like a wedge, which contributes to the natural rockfalls we see in the spring.
Higher—but rare—events
While 500 ft (≈ 152 m) is the reliable maximum for visitors, there have been extreme days. In 2014, NASA satellite imagery and local radar documented massive plumes that topped 3,000 ft (≈ 900 m). However, those heights only happen during intense updrafts on very cold, windy days, so the 500-ft figure on my poster is the most honest representation for a typical visit.
FACT 10
About 25 mi (roughly 40 km) — distance 19th-century listeners said they could hear the roar of Niagara
Historical accounts
In the mid-1800s, before the world became so noisy, the "Thunder of Waters" could be heard from incredible distances. Travel writer H. D. Barton reported in 1840 that he could hear the "awful thunder" from his stagecoach near Lockport, N.Y., which is 22 miles (≈ 35 km) away. Local Iroquoian lore and 1850s newspapers consistently placed the limit of the roar at about 25 miles (≈ 40 km) on calm, humid nights.
Physics check
If you're wondering if those old stories are just tall tales, the science actually backs them up. At the brink, the falls register at 90–100 decibels. Following the "inverse-square law"—where sound drops about 6 decibels every time the distance doubles—perfectly still air would carry that low-frequency rumble right to the edge of human hearing at about the 25-mile (≈ 40 km) mark.
Why it’s quieter now
Today, it is very rare to hear the falls from more than 5 miles away. There are three main reasons for this change:
- Hydro Diversions: We divert up to 50% of the water at night for electricity, which physically reduces the "sound power" of the falls.
- Urban Noise: Our modern world is full of background noise from highways, sirens, and airplanes that masks the low-frequency rumble.
- The Landscape: Increased vegetation and trees along the gorge walls now act as natural sound-absorbers, scattering the acoustic energy before it can travel.
FACT 11
Roughly 3.8 million homes — the load Niagara’s hydro-plants can supply
How powerful is the river?
When we talk about the power of Niagara, we aren't just talking about the view; we're talking about a massive "battery" for two countries. Between the Sir Adam Beck plants in Ontario and the Robert Moses plant in New York, the river has the potential to generate enough electricity to power about 3.8 million average homes.
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| Illustration: Niagara Falls at dusk with hydro plant and power lines, representing power for 3.8 million homes. |
Who gets the power?
The electricity generated here doesn't just stay in Niagara Falls. It feeds into massive power grids that stretch across the continent:
- Ontario: About 60% of the Canadian power stays in the Greater Hamilton–Niagara corridor.
- New York: About 40% of the American power heads to Buffalo, Rochester, and even down-state to help during the busiest times of day.
The "Night Shift" Trick
Have you ever wondered why the falls look different at night? To be efficient, engineers use "pumped storage". At night, when people are sleeping and electricity demand is low, they hoist water into a giant 750-acre (≈ 300-hectare) reservoir. Then, during the afternoon "power rush" when everyone is using their air conditioners and appliances, they let that water roar back through the turbines to create an extra boost of energy.
The "Green" Giant
Because Niagara’s power comes from moving water rather than burning fuel, it is one of the cleanest sources of energy on the planet. The hydro-plants here prevent roughly 16.5 million tons (≈ 15 million metric tonnes) of carbon dioxide from entering the atmosphere every single year. That is the equivalent of taking more than 3 million cars off the road permanently! It’s not just about the "3.8 million homes" on the poster; it’s about the air we all breathe here in the Niagara Region.
Engineering Marvels: Sir Adam Beck and Robert Moses
The two main powerhouses are massive feats of engineering named after the pioneers of public power. On the Canadian side, the Sir Adam Beck complex has been a landmark since 1922. On the American side, the Robert Moses Niagara Power Plant was once the largest hydropower facility in the Western world when it opened in 1961. Together, these plants use massive tunnels—some large enough to drive a semi-truck through—to divert water away from the falls and into the massive turbines that create the "hum" of our modern life.
A world without Niagara Power
To put this in perspective, if Niagara’s hydro complex suddenly blinked off tomorrow, it would be a disaster for our green energy goals. Ontario would have to fire up every gas-powered plant it owns just to keep the lights on, and up-state New York would lose about one-fifth of its renewable energy overnight.
FACT 12
“Niagara” is usually interpreted as “Thundering Waters” in the local Iroquoian languages
Earliest spellings
The name we use today is actually a phonetic attempt by Europeans to capture an Indigenous word. French explorer Samuel de Champlain first included "Onguiaahra" on his 1632 map. Later, in 1641, Jesuit records used the Latinized "Ongiara". By 1687, English traders had settled on the spelling "Niagara". All these versions trace back to the Neutral (Attawandaron) and Seneca nations who have lived along this river for over 13,000 years.
Primary translations
While everyone loves a good story, there are actually three common ways to translate the original word:
- “Thundering Waters”: This is the version most of us know today. It was popularized by 19th-century missionaries and is still the "go-to" meaning in most modern tourism guides.
- “The Strait” or “Neck Between Two Lakes”: Many Seneca linguists prefer this version. The root word onteri refers to a narrow waterway, like the neck of a bottle, connecting Lake Erie and Lake Ontario.
- “Point of Land Cut in Two”: This is a more academic reading often linked to the specific shape of the peninsula near Niagara-on-the-Lake.
Linguistic clues
In Iroquoian languages, stems like on-, ongui-, or oniá:kara’ typically convey the idea of a "noisy river" or a "strait". When you add the suffix -a’ to mark a location, the word roughly means “at the neck of water that roars”.
Why the "thunder" sticks
It’s easy to see why "Thundering Waters" became the most famous translation. Early visitors were completely overwhelmed by the sound. In 1678, Father Louis Hennepin wrote that the noise was "louder than thunder," a poetic description that stuck so well it is still used on Parks Canada plaques today.
Cultural resonance
For the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois Confederacy), the Falls are much more than a landmark; they are a sacred space linked to the "Great Law of Peace". Today, many land acknowledgments in our region reference these original names to honor the deep heritage of the Neutral and Seneca peoples who first called this place home.
FACT 13
1901 — Annie Edson Taylor became the first person to go over Niagara Falls in a barrel
Who was she?
Annie Taylor wasn't a typical daredevil; she was a 63-year-old former schoolteacher from Michigan. After losing her life savings in a financial panic, she decided that the only way to secure her retirement was to do something so sensational that she could make a fortune through fame and lecture tours.
The barrel
- Construction: The barrel was a custom-built monster made of white oak and iron hoops, standing about 5 ft (≈ 1.5 m) tall.
- Interior: To survive the "muck" of the river, it was lined with a mattress and a padded leather harness.
- The Pump: In a strange twist of engineering, she had the barrel pressurized to 30 psi (≈ 207 kPa) using a simple bicycle pump to keep it from imploding under the massive water pressure at the bottom.
- The Cost: She spent $23.45 on the materials—which is about $800 in today's money.
The plunge — October 24, 1901
On a cold October afternoon, Annie was towed out to the middle of the river just above the Horseshoe Falls. After drifting for 17 minutes, the barrel plunged over the edge. It disappeared into the white water and emerged 20 seconds later at the bottom. When rescuers finally hauled the barrel to a dock on the Ontario side and opened it up, Annie crawled out alive, suffering only a small cut on her head. Her first words to the crowd were, “No one should ever do that again”.
Aftermath
- The Fame: She became an overnight sensation and earned about $10,000 from her tours, though she sadly lost most of it to a dishonest manager later on.
- The Legacy: Her success inspired over a dozen copy-cat daredevils over the next century—several of whom were not as lucky as she was.
- See it for yourself: If you want to see the "Queen of the Mist" barrel today, it is still on display at the Niagara Falls IMAX Daredevil Gallery.
FACT 14
About 1 ft per year (≈ 0.3 m/yr) — today’s average upstream erosion rate of the Horseshoe crest
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| Illustration of Niagara Falls cross-section showing dolostone caprock over shale |
How we know
Since 1990, scientists have used high-tech LiDAR flights, GPS surveys, and sonar to pin the crestline’s position down to a few centimeters. These datasets show that the brink retreated approximately 32 ft (≈ 9.8 m) between 1990 and 2022—an average of about 1 ft (≈ 0.3 m) per year. This rounded figure is now the official standard used by the International Niagara Board of Control.
Why the rate is slower than it used to be
The falls aren't moving nearly as fast as they did in the past.
- The natural pace: Before 1900, the falls were charging upstream at 3 to 5 ft (≈ 1–1.5 m) every year.
- The 1950 Treaty: A major agreement between Canada and the U.S. mandated nighttime flow reductions, which cut the river's hydraulic "eroding power" by up to 50%.
- Engineering fixes: Since the 1950s, teams have used rock-bolting, concrete infill, and underwater weirs to spread the flow and prevent the river from under-cutting the rock.
Why the falls still move at all
Despite our best engineering, nature still has the final say. The Horseshoe Falls sits on a hard cap of "Lockport dolostone" with softer "Rochester shale" underneath. The river eventually scours away that soft shale, creating caves. Once the hard rock on top loses its support, it collapses into the pool below, nudging the brink just a little bit further upstream.
Looking ahead
At this managed rate, the Horseshoe crest will creep another 1,600 ft (≈ 500 m) over the next two thousand years. While some worry this could eventually cut off the flow to the American Falls, it's almost certain that future engineers will intervene long before that happens.
FACT 15
1848 — the only year Niagara Falls stopped flowing (because of an ice jam)
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| Illustration of Niagara Falls Frozen in 1848, people and a horse-drawn sleigh on ice below the dry Horseshoe Falls |
What happened
On the evening of March 29, 1848, residents on both sides of the border noticed something terrifying: the "Thunder of the Falls" had completely faded into silence. A massive southwest gale had driven giant sheets of Lake Erie ice into the mouth of the Niagara River, creating a jam 30 ft (≈ 9 m) thick and 1 mile (≈ 1.6 km) wide. By midnight, the water feeding the falls was essentially cut off, leaving the riverbed dry.
Eerie sights on a dry riverbed
- Treasure Hunting: Locals actually walked onto the exposed river bottom to collect coins, petrified wood, and even old muskets from the War of 1812.
- Power Failure: Downriver, the mill wheels that powered local factories ground to a halt, forcing businesses to shut down within hours.
- The "Easy Catch": Fish were left flopping in shrinking pools of water, and curious townsfolk spent the day filling buckets and barrels with them.
Duration & resolution
The silence lasted for about 30 hours. In the early hours of March 31, the wind finally dropped and the massive ice jam broke apart. A wall of pent-up water surged downstream, returning with a roar that witnesses described as an "earthquake of sound". Because of modern ice-control booms installed on Lake Erie in 1964, a total stoppage like this is unlikely to ever happen again.
Legacy
Known as “the day Niagara went dry,” this event proved just how much the river is at the mercy of the weather. Today, hydro authorities work around the clock to maintain "minimum compensation flows"—basically a guaranteed amount of water—to ensure the falls never go silent again, even during the harshest winters.
FACT 16
Rainbow every sunny midday — Niagara’s built-in prism
Why it’s so reliable
The mist column above Horseshoe Falls is filled with billions of tiny water droplets. When the sun reaches a 42° angle in the sky—typically between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. in the summer—sunlight strikes those droplets and refracts, creating a vivid rainbow with red on the outside and violet on the inside. Because the plume rises hundreds of feet (≈ 100 m or more), anyone standing along the promenade is almost always at the perfect "anti-solar" angle to see a bright, clear arc.
Best viewing spots & times
- Canadian Side: The railings near Table Rock and the boat docks give you front-row seats from late morning to mid-afternoon.
- American Side: Head to Terrapin Point for morning bows and Prospect Point for the afternoon.
- Winter Bonus: On clear, sub-freezing days, ice crystals in the air can create rare ice halos and even double rainbows.
Double & lunar rainbows
Sometimes you’ll see a secondary bow that is dimmer with the colors reversed; this happens when the water droplets are different sizes. On very bright full-moon nights, the same physics can create a "moonbow". It looks like a pale, silvery arc to the naked eye, but long-exposure cameras can capture its full color.
Fun physics fact
The radius of a primary rainbow is fixed at about 42° from your shadow. This means if you step back or move down the path, the rainbow seems to “follow” you. This optical illusion baffled early observers and inspired Indigenous stories of a living sky serpent.
FACT 17
7 seconds — total time a drop of water needs to go from crest to river and resurface
Physics of the plunge
A 167-ft (≈ 51 m) free fall at Niagara lasts just a shade over 3 seconds. On impact, the water jet punches 50 to 65 ft (≈ 15–20 m) into the deep plunge pool below. Thanks to turbulence and natural buoyancy, that water is driven back to the surface shortly after. Dye-tracer studies and high-speed video show that the full journey from the crest to resurfacing takes roughly 7 seconds.
Human comparison
To put that in perspective, 7 seconds is just enough time to say “Ni-a-ga-ra Falls” three times slowly—or to realize you really, really shouldn’t have jumped!
Extra tidbits
- The Torrent: That single drop is part of a massive flow of about 635,000 gallons (≈ 2,400 cubic meters) per second—enough water to fill an Olympic-sized swimming pool every single second.
- Radar-Visible: The resulting impact mist is so dense it creates its own rainbows and even shows up as an "echo" on local weather radar.
- The Roar: Standing right beside the brink, the sound level tops 90 decibels, which is louder than a freight train passing right next to you.
- Sound vs. Gravity: If you shouted "Niagara!" as you went over, your voice wouldn't even beat you to the bottom; sound actually needs about 0.15 seconds more than the falling water to cover that 167 ft (≈ 51 m) of air.
FACT 18
570 GAL (≈ 2 200 L) — the water in a “bathtub-wide” slice of Niagara Falls each second
The "Big Picture" Numbers
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| 570 GAL (≈ 2 200 L) every second |
The Split Among the Falls
The water doesn't share the stage equally. The Canadian Horseshoe Falls carries about 90% of that regulated flow, while the American and Bridal Veil Falls share the remaining 10% between them.
The Bathtub-Wide Slice
Since "700,000 gallons" is hard to visualize, imagine taking a slice of the falls exactly as wide as a standard bathtub—about 3.25 ft (≈ 1 m) wide. In just one second, about 570 gallons (≈ 2 150 L) of water would roar through that tiny slice.
To put that "muscle" in perspective:
- The Tub: That single slice would fill an 80-gallon (≈ 300 L) bathtub over 7 times every second.
- The Fire Truck: In just one second, that "bathtub slice" would completely fill a standard fire truck’s 500-gallon (≈ 1 900 L) water tank.
- The Milk Jugs: You would need to line up over 2,000 one-gallon (≈ 3.8 L) milk jugs to catch the water from that tiny slice every single second.
- The Backyard Pool: This same small slice would top up a standard 20,000-gallon (≈ 75 700 L) backyard pool in just 35 seconds.
- The Olympic Pool: This tiny 3-ft slice is so powerful it would overflow a massive 660,000-gallon (≈ 2.5 million L) Olympic-sized swimming pool in only 19 minutes.
Where the number comes from
The math is simple once you break it down. The entire falls move roughly 700,000 gallons per second spread across about 4,000 ft (≈ 1 200 m) of crestline. That equals about 175 gallons per foot of edge. So, a 3-ft "bathtub width" works out to approximately 570 gallons every second.
FACT 19
14 gull species — Niagara hosts the planet’s largest winter gathering of gulls
Why Niagara lures them
Niagara doesn't just attract people; it’s a magnet for birds. The year-round open water below the falls, combined with a steady supply of stunned fish and warm updrafts, creates the perfect winter habitat. Throw in the extra food sources from two busy tourist cities, and you have a "buffet" that gulls simply cannot resist.
Who’s in the crowd
While you’ll always see the "staples" like the Herring and Ring-billed Gulls, the cold season brings in the rare stars. Birdwatchers from all over come to see Iceland, Glaucous, and Lesser Black-backed gulls. In total, 19 different species have been recorded here, and on November 25, 1995, a world record was set when 14 different species were spotted in a single day.
Record numbers
Every December, bird counts regularly find between 100,000 and 125,000 individual gulls in the area. This incredible concentration has earned our region the nickname “Gull Capital of the World”. The area is so significant that several species, including Ontario’s first-ever Slaty-backed Gull in 1992, were officially recorded here for the first time.
Science & stewardship
These birds are more than just a local spectacle; they help scientists monitor the health of our environment. Researchers study these mixed flocks to track how contaminants move through the Great Lakes food web. To keep this "avian boom" healthy, both Canada and the U.S. coordinate clean-up efforts to ensure the birds are eating naturally and the shoreline stays pristine.
FACT 20
2 countries — Niagara Falls is shared and jointly managed by the United States & Canada
Geographic split
The border here isn't a straight line; it's a bit of a zig-zag. The Horseshoe Falls is roughly 90% in Ontario, though its easternmost 165 ft (≈ 50 m) actually sits inside New York. Meanwhile, the American and Bridal Veil Falls are located entirely within New York State. The official international border tracks right down the face of the Horseshoe Falls.
Binational stewardship
Because we share the water, we have to share the responsibility. The 1950 Niagara River Diversion Treaty ensures there is always enough water for the view, mandating a minimum flow of 100,000 cfs (cubic feet per second) during the day and 50,000 cfs at night. A team of managers from both sides—including the International Niagara Board of Control and the Niagara Parks Commission—coordinate everything from rescues to the nightly light shows.
Fun Extras
- Twin Cities, Twin Names: Both sides of the border have a city named "Niagara Falls". It’s one of the few places in the world where you can literally wave at your international neighbors across a gorge.
- Currency Double-Take: Most local shops and ice-cream stands accept both CAD and USD. Just a tip: you might not get the perfect bank exchange rate, so using a card is often the "cheaper" way to shop.
- A 30-Second Border Walk: While the walk across the Rainbow Bridge takes about 5 minutes, you cross the actual international line in seconds. Just remember to bring your passport!
- Shared Light Show: The illumination is synchronized to the millisecond by a binational board so that both sides see the exact same colors at the exact same time.
- One River, Two Grids: The water that powers the Robert Moses plant in New York and the Sir Adam Beck stations in Ontario is the same water, yet it ends up lighting up homes on two different national power grids.
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A Little Piece of Niagara for Your Home
Fascinating stuff, isn't it? You can bring all 20 of these great facts into your home with my “Niagara Falls – 20 Fascinating Facts” poster!
This design pulls together every detail we’ve covered today into one high-resolution digital download. It’s a perfect way to keep the "Thunder of Waters" in your home, and it's great for everything from wall art to your own creative sublimation projects.
Click the image below to buy the poster from my Etsy store!
Thank you for your support!
Resources:
International Niagara Board of Control. Annual Flow Report: Regulation of the Niagara River.
Niagara Parks Commission. Niagara Falls Facts & Figures. (Horseshoe drop details).
Geological Survey of Canada & U.S. Geological Survey. Geology and Origin of the Niagara Escarpment.
New York State Parks / Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources. The Shape of the Falls: An Illustrated History of the Niagara Gorge.
Environment and Climate Change Canada. Niagara River Water Temperature and Ice Conditions.
Niagara Falls State Park. Frequently Asked Questions and Surface Temperature Data.
Niagara Parks Commission. Niagara Falls: Horseshoe, American & Bridal Veil – Fact Sheet.
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. Fish Passage and Survival Studies at Niagara Falls.
Hotelagio & Niagara Falls Tourism. Research Fact Sheets and Attendance Reports 2023–2025.
Maid of the Mist Corporation & Buffalo History Museum. History of the Maid of the Mist Fleet.
NOAA & NASA Earth Observatory. Lidar Studies of the Niagara Falls Mist Plume and Satellite Imagery.
Ontario Power Generation & New York Power Authority. Harnessing the River: Niagara Power Project Fast Facts.
Ontario Power Generation. Sir Adam Beck Complex and Hydroelectric Operations Fact Book.
Canadian Museum of History & University at Buffalo. Seneca Linguistics Project and Native North American Languages.
Wood, Patrick. Queen of the Falls: The Story of Annie Edson Taylor. Niagara Falls Heritage Society.
Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources & Forestry / U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Niagara River Gorge Erosion Study.
Niagara Falls Public Library Archives. The Day the Falls Stopped Running: 29–30 March 1848.
University at Buffalo & National Geographic. Plunge-Pool Dye-Tracer Study and Timing Analysis.
International Niagara Board of Control & Niagara Parks Commission. Daytime Discharge and Crest-Width Surveys.
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. American Falls International Board of Control Report on 1969 Dewatering.
Niagara Peninsula Hawkwatch & Ontario Field Ornithologists. Winter Gull Assemblages at Niagara Falls Annual Census.
Treaty Between the United States of America and Canada. Uses of the Waters of the Niagara River (1950).
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