Niagara is a river that is one of the largest water streams in North America. Her beauty can be envied. After all, this is not an easy channel flowing through the area. The uniqueness of the river is that it has many waterfalls. They are known all over the world. A lot of people tend to come here at least once in order to personally witness this unearthly beauty.
Description of Niagara (briefly)
Many are interested in exactly where and from which lake the Niagara River flows. The watercourse originates from Lake Erie. The river is a geographical boundary between the United States of America and Canada. In the United States, Niagara flows in the state of New York, and in Canada its shores are located on the border of Ontario. The length of the river is 56 km, the flow is directed mainly to the north, the volume of water is 665 thousand square meters. km But what lake does the Niagara River flow into? As can already be understood from the above information, the water stream ends its path in Canada. It falls into Lake Ontario.
Hydronym
The name of the river came to us from the Indians living in this territory. In the Iroquois language, it was called Ongiara, literally translated "the land in half." This was mainly due to the fact that in the upper reaches of Niagara it is divided into two branches, due to which islands are formed. Some of them belong to the United States (Grand Island) and one belongs to Canada (Navi Island).
A bit of history
Niagara is a river that is over 6,000 years old. Her story can be safely called unique. During this time, many significant events have occurred. The activity of the last ice sheet in North America formed the Great Lakes and the Niagara River. The glacier, descending from the top, pushed stone blocks, forming furrows. Thus, these reservoirs arose. When the last period ended, the stream moved along these furrows and buried itself in the rapids, forming a system of waterfalls under the force of water.
Niagara Falls
Niagara is a special river, even if it has waterfalls. Thanks to the connection of the riverbed, you can enjoy these beauties. Niagara Falls is rightfully considered one of the most beautiful on the planet. It has a complex system of thresholds, so bypassing the canal, Wellland, was artificially built.
“Niagara miracle” is not the only site, but a complex consisting of several places where river water drops sharply from a sufficiently high height. Together they form a single wide system of waterfalls. The height of the cliffs varies significantly. The highest points of these waterfalls are more than 50 m (located outside the Canadian border), and the height of those located on the territory of America is 21 m. forming a stone pile at the foot.
The importance of waterfalls for countries
This complex consists of three waterfalls - the American, Canadian "Horseshoe" and a site called "Fata". Their width is more than 1,000 m, and the power of the stream allows it to be used to generate hydropower. Due to the fact that Niagara is a river with character, several significant hydroelectric power plants were built under its waterfalls.
As a source of energy, the water of the river was first used at the end of the XVIII century. Small farmers and entrepreneurs led small canals and supplied their enterprises with electricity. But already on a large scale, they began to use strong water flow at the end of the 19th century after the invention of the Tesla alternator. Currently, factories and enterprises that successfully use water energy have been built at the foot of the waterfalls.
The value of Niagara's water flow
Understanding where the Niagara River is located is very important, as several cities are located on its full-flowing banks:
- Niagara Falls, Buffalo, Lewis - in the United States.
- Fort Erie and Niagra Falls are off the coast of Canada.
The river, along with waterfalls, has enormous economic value for these two countries. And also this place is popular with tourists, which brings considerable income to the treasury of states.
Shipping
The Niagara River is full-flowing, suitable for heavy navigable ships. But because of the waterfall, the path is interrupted. To solve the problem, a special canal was built to bypass the cliff, which, since the 1960s, allowed ships to travel the river from the Atlantic Ocean to the Great Lakes and vice versa. Now, each year, the total value of goods transported along this route reaches 40 million tons.
The canal has a modern equipment system, is equipped with 8 shipping locks that can control the water level and provides a comfortable transition from one water pool to another.
Tourism
Undoubtedly, waterfalls in a tourist aspect are very popular.
Every year, millions of vacationers from all over the world come to see the miracle of nature. For this, a powerful infrastructure is developed. Tourists have the opportunity to tour the waterfall by cable car, helicopter or balloon. A large number of viewing platforms and towers were built here. Even at night, they conduct excursions when waterfalls shimmer with colorful lights and spotlights.
The most popular "attraction" at Niagara Falls is a walk under special falling boats in special boats.
Niagara Falls is one of the oldest nature reserves in the United States.
Not only beauty lovers are eager for an excursion here, but also people eager for extreme sports. So, in 1901, an ordinary elementary school teacher, Mrs. Taylor, on her 63rd birthday decided to take a jump from a waterfall in a wooden barrel. Subsequently, her act was recorded in the Guinness Book of Records.
Now the laws of Canada and the United States forbidden to go down the waterfall by any means, but this does not stop the daredevils.