Niagara River

 

(nīăg'rə) , river, 34 mi (55 km) long, issuing from Lake Erie between Buffalo, N.Y., and Fort Erie, Ont., Canada. It flows north around Grand Island and over Niagara Falls to Lake Ontario; the river forms part of the U.S.-Canadian border. The upper section of the river is navigable for c.20 mi (30 km) to a series of rapids above the falls; in its last 7 mi (11 km) it is again navigable, from Lewiston, N.Y., to Lake Ontario. The Erie Canal (part of the New York State Canal System enters the river at Tonawanda, N.Y.; the Welland Canal, several miles W on the Ontario side, is a lake-freighter route around the falls. Hydroelectric power is generated by diverting water from the river above Niagara Falls to generating plants. Many bridges cross the Niagara River, notably Peace Bridge (1927); bridges linking Grand Island with both shores (1935); Rainbow Bridge (1941) below the falls; and American Rapids Bridge (1960), linking Goat Island with the mainland.

Niagara River
Satellite image of the Niagara River. Flowing from Lake Erie in the south to Lake Ontario in the north, the river passes around Grand Island before going over Niagara Falls, after which it narrows in the Niagara Gorge. Two hydropower reservoirs are visible just before the river widens after exiting the gorge. The Welland Canal is visible on the far left side of this image. (Source: NASA Visible Earth)
Origin	Lake Erie
Mouth	Lake Ontario
Basin countries	United States & Canada
Length	36 mi (58 km)[1]
Avg. discharge	204,800 cfs (5,796 m³/s)[2]
Basin area	264,000 sq mi (684,000 km²)[1]

The Niagara River flows to the north from Lake Erie to Lake Ontario. It serves as part of the border between the Province of Ontario in Canada and New York State in the United States. There are various theories as to the origin of the name. According to NASA, "Niagara" comes from a Native American word meaning "at the neck".^[3] According to George R. Stewart, it comes from the name of an Iroquois town called "Ongniaahra", meaning "point of land cut in two".^[4]

Description

The river, which is occasionally described as a "strait",^[5] is approximately 56 kilometres (35 mi) long and includes Niagara Falls along its course. The falls have moved upstream from the Niagara Escarpment about 11 kilometers (7 mi) in the last 12,000 years, resulting in a gorge below the falls. Today, diversion of the river for electricity generation has significantly reduced the rate of erosion.

Power plants on the river are the Sir Adam Beck Hydroelectric Power Stations, on the Canadian side, and the Robert Moses Niagara Power Plant, built in 1961, on the American side. The sites generate 4.4 gigawatts of electricity combined. The river flow is also regulated by the International Control Works built in 1954. Shipping on the Great Lakes bypasses the Niagara River and Niagara Falls using the Welland Canal, part of the Saint Lawrence Seaway, located on the Canadian side.

The total drop in elevation along the river is 326 ft (99 meters). The Niagara Gorge extends 7 mi (11.26 km)downstream from the Falls and includes the Niagara Whirlpool and another section of rapids. It also one of the few rivers in North America to flow northward, and empties 2/5ths of the fresh water in North America.

The Niagara River features two large islands, Grand Island and Goat Island, both in the United States. The western end of the Erie Canal is near Grand Island. Goat Island and the tiny Luna Island split Niagara Falls into its three sections, the Horseshoe, Bridal Veil, and American Falls. Navy Island, on the Canadian side, is near the north end of Grand Island, while Strawberry Island and Motor Island lie southeast of Grand Island. Squaw Island lies further upstream, alongside the city of Buffalo.

The Niagara River and its tributaries, Tonawanda Creek and the Welland River, formed part of the last section of the Erie Canal and Welland Canal. After leaving Lockport, New York, the Erie Canal proceeds southwest until it enters Tonawanda Creek. After entering the Niagara River, watercraft then proceed southward to the final lock, where a short section of the canal allows boats to avoid the turbulent shoal water at the river intake and enter Lake Erie. Welland Canals used the Welland River as a connection back to the Niagara River south of the falls, allowing water traffic to safely re-enter the Niagara River and proceed to Lake Erie.

History

Several battles occurred along the Niagara River, which was historically defended by Fort George (Canadian side) and Fort Niagara (American side) at the mouth of the river and Fort Erie (Canadian side) at the head of the river. These forts were important during the French and Indian War and the American Revolutionary War. The Battle of Queenston Heights took place near the river in the War of 1812.

The river was an important route to liberation before the American Civil War, when many African-Americans escaping slavery on the Underground Railroad crossed it to find freedom in Canada.

On the Canadian side of the river the Niagara Parks Commission maintains all of the shoreline property, except the sites of Fort George and Fort Erie, as a public greenspace and environmental heritage.

Today, the river is the namesake of Niagara Herald Extraordinary at the Canadian Heraldic Authority.

Cities and settlements

Population centers along the Niagara River include:

• Buffalo, New York
• Fort Erie, Ontario
• Lewiston, New York
• Grand Island, New York (Island formed by Niagara River, in the US)
• Niagara Falls, New York
• Niagara Falls, Ontario
• Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario
• North Tonawanda, New York
• Porter, New York
• Queenston, Ontario
• Tonawanda, New York (City)
• Tonawanda, New York (Town of Tonawanda)
• Wheatfield, New York
• Youngstown, New York

Crossings

Main article: List of crossings of the Niagara River

The Niagara River has a long history of both road and rail bridges spanning the river, both upstream and downstream of the Falls. This history includes numerous bridges that have fallen victim to the harsh conditions of the Niagara Gorge, such as landslides and icepacks.

Islands

Several islands are located on the upper river before the falls:

• Navy Island - the only island within Canada and designated as a national historic park
• Grand Island - the largest island on the river; some parks, but mostly residential and industrial
• Strawberry Island - a small park
• Motor Island - a small park
• Squaw Island - located in the city of Buffalo, New York and home to Broderick Park and a waste treatment facility
• Tonawanda Island - occupied by marina and some industries
• Buckhorn Island - park located on the north end of Grand Island
• Goat Island (New York) - park located at the brink of the American Falls
• Three Sisters Island - park located next to Goat Island
• Green Island - park located near Goat Island
• Luna Island - park located next to Goat Island
• Cayuga Island - located on the Tonawanda side of the river and mainly residential

Notes

References

• Tiplin, Albert H.; Seibel, George A. and Seibel, Olive M. (1988) Our romantic Niagara: a geological history of the river and the falls Niagara Falls Heritage Foundation, Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada, ISBN 0969045727

Further reading

• Hulbert, A. B. (1908). The Niagara River. New York: G.P. Putnam's Sons.

See also

• List of New York rivers
• List of Ontario rivers
• Whirlpool Aero Car

External links

• Niagara Photos
• Niagara River and its Around Views
• Views of the Niagara River Niagara Falls Public Library (Ont.)
• Digital Images of the Islands of the Niagara River Niagara Falls Public Library (Ont.)
• Buffalo Niagara Riverkeeper

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