I saw an article I think in something like Popular Science about damming the falls to repair them once. I think it was to repair the American side. Was this done? I never heard of it since and I would think it would make the news.
g1g wrote: I saw an article I think in something like Popular Science about damming the falls to repair them once. I think it was to repair the American side. Was this done? I never heard of it since and I would think it would make the news.
Yes, it was done in 1969.
You can read about it HERE. There is a paragraph summarizing the efforts about halfway down the page.
2007 Holiday Rambler Endeavor 40PDQ 400 ISL Cummins/Allison
2002 Chevy Avalanche toad
Inside: Him, Her, and a pack of little furballs...
So, according to Wikipedia, what diverts the water above the falls for hydroelectric use, is "a weir with movable gates." And a weir, again according to Wikipedia, "(also known as a lowhead dam) is a small overflow-type dam..."
This is the kind of dam used extensively on the three rivers around Pittsburgh. They have never been called anything but "dams," although most people associate the concept of a "dam" with huge, curved concrete walls holding back enormous lakes (like Hoover Dam).
I recall reading in Pierre Berton's history of Niagara Falls that the attempted repairs to the US Falls (Bridal Veil) was stopped after removal of some of the rubble at the base of the Falls was causing the slope above to fail. Cleaning all the rubble would have caused a large portion of the Falls' edge to collapse. The decision was made at that time to allow the Falls to continue with its natural progression.
In response to visiting the Falls, we vacation in Niagara Falls every year. In my opinion, the Canadian side offers the best view of the Horseshoe Falls but the State Park on the American side is less crowded and less commercialized.
However, the Niagara Parkway, Ontario which travels along the Niagara Gorge from the Falls to the Town of Niagara-on-the-Lake is the most beautiful stretch of roadway in Ontario. Take your bikes or rollerblades. Consider camping in Queenston at Shalamar Lake Campground.
A bit of a stretch to the original topic but just yesterday my boss told me he was going to Niagara Falls for the July 4th holiday!
I just had to bust his chops some;
I asked, "Where are you staying?".
He said "Holiday Inn on the Canadian side".
I said, "Let me get this straight, to celebrate the birth of the USA, you are going to a foreign country".
He said, "Yea, I guess so".
I said, "You do realize they don't celebrate our Independence Day up there?".
He said, "Well nobody ever accused me of being smart, but I'm strong".
Tim
"Okay, I admit it, the only thing I'm really good at is being me."
famousperson wrote: although most people associate the concept of a "dam" with huge, curved concrete walls holding back enormous lakes (like Hoover Dam).
Will I ever live this down? Go ahead, I have thick skin!
beemerphile1 wrote: I said, "You do realize they don't celebrate our Independence Day up there?".
He said, "Well nobody ever accused me of being smart, but I'm strong".
But they do!!! "Canada, 07-01, July 1 Independence from United Kingdom. First given autonomy as a dominion in 1867, offically given sovereignty in 1982 with the Constitution Act and Canada Act". Quoted from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Independance_day
I thought everybody on both sides of Lake Erie knew that!
famousperson wrote: although most people associate the concept of a "dam" with huge, curved concrete walls holding back enormous lakes (like Hoover Dam).
Will I ever live this down? Go ahead, I have thick skin!
Probably not!
10tca01 wrote:
ShapeShifter wrote:
That's impressive right there!
You know, as I look at it, what gets me about that picture is not so much the dry falls (I remember it in person when it happened) but it's the clarity of the skies (or lack thereof.) On the near river shore, directly above the dry falls, are the mass of chemical plants with their smokestacks and steam vents belching. Not visible on this picture are the old oil refineries farther up stream past the other end of Grand Island. Together, they used to put out so much maloderous smoke that as kids we always had to hold our noses as we drove by them. In this picture, you can barely see a hint of the North Grand Island bridge (I-290) because of all of the haze.
Between these plants to the North of Buffalo, and the steel plants to the South, there used to be a constant haze over the area which isn't there now. It's interesting to look at old pictures of the area and realize what it was like, and how much better it is now. (Of course, it's only better for the environment, losing all of that big industry has been terrible for the local economy!)
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