| You've probably heard of Niagara Falls but how much | | | | 10. The Falls have taken 12,000 years to erode the |
| do you really know about it? You will learn about | | | | seven miles from Queenston Heights, where they |
| twenty trivia facts about the Falls. You will discover | | | | began, to their present position. But the Falls separated |
| the answers to these questions and more - How tall is | | | | around Goat Island only 600 years ago. |
| it? How deep is it? How high is it? What does it | | | | 11. The Niagara River drains 255,000 square miles of |
| comprise of? Who owns it? How much does it | | | | mid-continental North America. |
| erode? How much water flows over it? Where is it? | | | | 12. With power requirements and anti-erosion |
| What's gone over it? | | | | measures, erosion has been reduced to less than one |
| Here are some interesting facts about Niagara Falls, | | | | foot a year. |
| mostly taken from Metromap Publication's Street Map | | | | 13. The whirlpool is 126 feet deep at the water level. |
| Guide to the Regional Municipality of Niagara: | | | | The water spins around in a counterclockwise |
| 1. The Falls at Niagara cannot claim to be the highest | | | | direction. |
| or the widest in the world, or even to have the | | | | 14. The water depth of the lower rapids is 45 - 60 |
| greatest flow of water. The Iguazu Falls on the | | | | feet, with currents of up to 30 m.p.h. |
| Paraguay-Brazil-Argentina borders surpass Niagara | | | | 15. The drop from Lake Erie to Lake Ontario is 330 |
| Falls on all three counts. But Niagara's are the world's | | | | feet depending on seasonal water levels. |
| most popular. | | | | 16. Seven people have gone of the Horseshoe Falls in |
| 2. From the water level to the crest, the American | | | | a barrel. Four lived, three died. |
| Falls are 182 feet high, the Horseshoe 176 feet high. | | | | 17. Only two living things have been seen to go over |
| 3. Ten percent of the water flows over the American | | | | the Falls safely without special protection - a dog over |
| and Luna Falls, 90% over the Horseshoe Falls. | | | | the American Falls in the 1800's and a boy over the |
| 4. There are actually three Falls: American (Rainbow), | | | | Horseshoe Falls in 1960. |
| Luna (Bridal Veil) and Horseshoe. | | | | 18. Five large boats and innumerable small ones have |
| 5. The U.S. owns all, or part, of all three, while most of | | | | gone over the Falls, many with people in them. |
| the Horseshoe Falls belong to Canada. Niagara Falls is | | | | 19. A free swimmer has never conquered the lower |
| located 23 miles northwest of Buffalo, New York and | | | | rapids. |
| 79 miles southeast of Toronto, Ontario. | | | | 20. Before his death in 1942, the famous Red Hill |
| 6. Today 50% of the Niagara River never makes it to | | | | saved 28 people from death over the Falls and |
| the Falls: it is diverted for power. This percentage | | | | salvaged 149 bodies of those that didn't make it. He |
| increases to 75% at night and in the winter months. | | | | accumulated more lifesaving medals than anyone else |
| 7. The Falls have eroded an average of 3.78 feet | | | | in the world. |
| year since 1842. Since the beginning there has always | | | | As you can see, many facts have been compiled |
| been a large spread of water on the approach to the | | | | about Niagara Falls over the years but at least you |
| Falls. | | | | probably now know considerably more than you did |
| 8. The Niagara River is not a river it is a strait. | | | | before about this amazing spectacle. You can either |
| 9. One and a half million gallons of water flow through | | | | tell others that are planning to visit the Falls what you |
| the Niagara River every second, or one cubic mile | | | | have learned, or you can plan to see it yourself now |
| every week. | | | | that you are an expert on the subject! |