Niagara Falls dewatered - photo

[Altair]

In 1969, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers dewatered a section of the Niagara Falls to conduct geological studies.

Fullsize image: https://diqn32j8nouaz.cloudfront.net...d_fullsize.jpg



Previously:

Tractor swamp draining attachment - GIF
Above ground French drain river landscaping - photo
Dam breach in China - GIF
Huge dam spillway release - GIF
Flushing silt from a dam - GIF

[TrickieDickie]

Eventually the falls will erode past the bridges and beyond in a few thousand years

[Elizabeth Greene]

How did they accomplish it?

[TrickieDickie]

Just up from the second bridge in the background appears to be a damn to divert the water around the falls

[Karl_H]

A large part of the water is diverted all the time to provide for the hydroelectric plants - Up to 75% at times.

from https://www.niagarafallsusa.com/plan...lls/fun-facts/

The American and Bridal Veil Falls were turned off in 1969 by the U.S. Army Corps. of Engineers to study the effects of erosion. There are plans to “turn off” the Falls again to rebuild two, 115-year-old bridges.

Niagara Falls' current erosion rate is approximately 1 foot per year and could possibly be reduced to 1 foot per 10 years due to flow control and diversion for hydro-power generation.

The water that flows over Niagara Falls is at 25-50% capacity at any given time.

[IntheGroove]

And you can see why going over the falls in a barrel is a bad idea...

[Hoosiersmoker]

Imagine how many honeymoons they ruined!

[pelican32redtruck42]

I was in engineering school in Buffalo at the time and went up several times. It was a simple earthen dam and,
when they were done, they just opened up a bit and let the current carry it away.

[mklotz]

Every time I see the falls I'm reminded of Oscar Wilde's famous remark about it...

When I first saw the (Niagara) falls I was disappointed in the outline. Every American bride is taken there, and the sight must be one of the earliest, if not the keenest, disappointments of American married life.