Niagara River
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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".[1] According to George R. Stewart, it comes from the name of an Iroquois town called "Ongniaahra", meaning "point of land cut in two".[2]
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[edit] Description
The river, which is occasionally described as a "strait",[3] 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 99 meters (326 ft). The Niagara Gorge extends 11.26 km (7 mi) downstream from the Falls and includes the Niagara Whirlpool and another section of rapids.
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 lies 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.
[edit] 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.
[edit] 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
[edit] Crossings
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.
[edit] 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, New York - 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 - 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
[edit] Notes
- ^ NASA Visible Earth, Niagara Falls
- ^ Stewart, George R. (1967) Names on the Land. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company; pg. 83.
- ^ Mobot.org
[edit] 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
[edit] See also
