It’s Suprisingly Easy To Turn Off Niagara Falls

While any possible shutdown is years away, two plans are being considered – one that would leave the USA side dry for five months from August through December, and another for a nine-month dry spell from April through December. However, while it might be disappointing to see the hotspot all dried up, officials are confident the unique sight is a novelty and will attract a good chunk of visitors who want to take a glimpse of the bare rock formations underneath the American Falls and Bridal Veil Falls.

To do that, crews would have to basically shut down Niagara Falls by rerouting water from the American side. And, Percy says the fact that the project is still a few years from starting gives his group time to get the word out there, and get other people just as excited to see what’s under the water. In order to make the operations safe and effective, the American Falls would need to be “dewatered” by redirecting the entire Niagara River flow to Horseshoe Falls, which is on the Canadian side of the border.

The two deteriorating bridges in question have been problematic for more than a decade. Once Design Approval is obtained for a preferred bridge design, State Parks will evaluate opportunities to secure special state and/or federal funding for the bridge replacement project. The cofferdam would be in the same general location as the 1969 structure, which spanned 600 feet and consisted of 28,000 tons of rock and earth. Given heavy erosion from the falls, the scene might look different today.

“These activities are expected to be short-term, intermittent in nature, and largely contained on site”, the report reads, “and would cease when construction was completed”. The river channel must be dewatered in order to demolish and remove the bridges. He told the Orange County Register that he believes the state should find an alternative method to replace the bridges.

The proposal to “dewater” the falls will be presented at a public hearing this week at the Niagara Falls Conference Center.