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?
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!
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.
Unlike the Niagara Falls, the canal in Paris was originally formed at the hands of men, not Mother Nature. Napoleon I called for the canal’s construction in 1802, to bring the quickly growing city a source of fresh water. The idea had been raised by prefect of Paris, Gaspard de Chabrol. The prefect alerted Napoleon that the canal would not only fill city fountains, but also help them ward off diseases of the times, such as cholera.
The construction of the canals began in 1802, the same year they had been proposed, but putting them in lasted more than two decades. The intricate system uses the Canal Saint-Martin to tie together the Canal de l'Ourcq and the Seine river. Aside from helping Parisians obtain clean water and prevent the spread of disease, the system was also meant for transporting grain and other goods. But the major canal system that was so popular in the 1800’s and early 1900’s would soon find itself dwindling down.
The canal system stretches across more than 100 km (80 miles). The Canal Saint-Martin runs from the Seine river at Port de l’Arsenal. It runs through the largest man-made lake in the city, the Basin de la Villette. And finally, it ties into the Canal de l’Ourcq, which runs from La Villette to just North-East of Paris.
As the years went on, the more factories and businesses began to pop up all around the canals, eager to get their piece of the profits that flowed along their streams.