Question

[MurphOnMillerAve]

In August of 69 I walked on the bottom of the Niagara river a couple hundred feet upstream of the American Falls.

Oohhh, I think I vaguely remember news, back then, about the water for the Falls diminishing considerably, exposing much of the face of it and the bottom. I hadn't heard of or thought of being able to walk on the river bed above the Falls, though. Excellent adventuresomeness, John Webster!!!!

Reminds me of the time (I do not recall the exact year) the electricity went out along the whole Mid-Atlantic region (New England, too?) including NYC, so, adventuresomely me, as soon as I heard it was out far beyond my apartment and the community where I was living at the time in NJ, I got on my motorcycle and zipped to the Geo. Wash. Bridge to see if all the lights were out everywhere, even NYC. They were. It was.Total darkness. Even the bridge. The city was very, very cool to explore. To me, the very coolest part was that average citizens, apparently on their own, were out in intersections with their flashlights directing traffic. Who thinks of such a thing? But plenty did, from 175th St. down to The Village. Also, ice cream stores gave ice cream away free if they liked you and your attitude.

[John Webster]

In 69 a dam had been built across the upstream end of Goat Island, shutting off water to the American Falls. There was a walkway that let you walk on the exposed river bottom.

The purpose of the dam was to get a look at the falls to see if it would be possible to stop the erosion that was building up big piles of rock at the bottom of the falls.

[MurphOnMillerAve]

Oh yes, John, I remember that, now. Did they use that occasion to clear some of the rock rubble at the base of the Falls away, too?

[John Webster]

I don't remember if they hauled any rock away or not.

[webenda]

I don't remember if they hauled any rock away or not.

It was decided that the huge mound of boulders at the base of the American Falls were in part holding up the cliff face. So the Army Corp of Engineers decided to do nothing with the rubble.

[MurphOnMillerAve]

I don't remember if they hauled any rock away or not.

It was decided that the huge mound of boulders at the base of the American Falls were in part holding up the cliff face. So the Army Corp of Engineers decided to do nothing with the rubble.

Yes, I had heard that they were concerned, at one point, that the Falls would be worn down to mere rapids, rather than a tall waterfall? I think I heard that way-back-then.

[chuck]

In 1848 the river froze and the falls and lower river in the gorge were dry for about 40 hours. COE work in 69 was used to stabilize some fractures and remove some debris.

Most of the "current" conservation efforts on both sides of the border rely on flow control and flow direction control. The falls were receding at a rate of +3 feet per year and they are now down to about 1 foot per year.

[Roy]

Any of you remember the Cuyahoga River, which flows into Lake Erie, catching fire in '69?

[chuck]

Any of you remember the Cuyahoga River, which flows into Lake Erie, catching fire in '69?

Burn on big river, burn on!

[rogruth]

I don't think it was actually the river that was on fire but a tributary. I don't know for sure.
There has been a lot of discussion ever since. It WAS caused by pollution.

[chuck]

It wasn't like Dante's inferno but it was eye opening for a RIVER to catch fire. Actually it's caught fire thirteen times.

Probably more than you want to know:

http://www.ohiohistorycentral.org/w/Cuyahoga_River_Fire

You could look on the bright side. It will soon be 50 years without catching fire!

[MurphOnMillerAve]

I've never heard of Victoria Falls in Africa as having any height or flow challenges. That goes for Angel Falls in Peru, too, though I realize Angel is a whole other type of falls.

[rogruth]

Chuck,
Well that straightens me out.
My info was from when it actually happened and they were probably trying to p[ay it down.

[MurphOnMillerAve]

TV channel WPIX:
"Homeland Diaries: America's Veterans":
Department of Veterans Affairs reports 20 suicides per day of Veterans!!!!!!

What is going on - what has happened to them?!
Per day!?

[robert.]

We can end a war. We can't erase the scars left by war. It's a sad time when our vets are homeless or living day to day with medical bills they can't afford.