As odd as a request as it may have been to divert the falls without being too noticeable – engineers were able to make it happen. None of the thousands of people to visit Niagara Falls each day would hardly know that several decades ago, there was even more water passing over the rushing falls. Especially not the tourists who choose to take the boat ride right up close to the base of the towering formation.
Visitors climb aboard one of a few ships and venture into the mist. Most of them choose to wear the raincoats that are provided – and likely still end up wet!
The International Joint Commission had to work with both Canada and the United States to come up with a solution that could make everyone happy – or at least, appear to make everyone happy, that is.
Officials wanted to keep up appearances in that everything was still flowing regularly through the falls. But they also wanted to keep using the area for their money-making industrial endeavors. So, what exactly was the solution that they settled on?
In the end, the IJC did authorize the work to be done, but there are multiple stipulations to keep things from getting out of hand. One of the main concerns of everyone involved in making the decisions was to make it appear as though none of the water had been diverted – whilst actually diverting some of the water to use for industrial purposes.
Engineers had to get creative in solving this particular problem. Luckily, a combination of brilliant (and well paid) individuals were able to solve the issue in a way that pleased all of the parties that were involved.
Over any given year, there can be tens of millions of people to head out to the Niagara Falls area. Whether they choose to visit the American side or the Canadian side, collectively there were over 12 million to visit in 2017 alone – and those numbers rise every year. But the year before that, numbers may have been a bit off when it was announced that once again, the American Falls would be dewatered.
The New York State Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation revealed the plans in late 2016, although there was still a bit more time before they started the process. The locals wondered what, if any, dark secrets lay buried beneath the debris this time, now that so many years have passed by.
Although it may seem like dewatering a historic landmark may be a once in a lifetime type of deal, it’s actually happened a few times. On January 4th, 2001, a team of engineers gathers to drain the Canal Saint-Martin in Paris, France.
Just like in the case of the falls, locals weren’t prepared for everything they were about to discover had been hiding underneath this water for so long. After all, Parisians already have the catacombs to think about, would they be able to handle the new discoveries?