Niagara Falls

                                                                                                                                                                      The Niagara Falls are the most powerful waterfalls in North America. These voluminous waterfalls are situated on the Niagara River, which drains Lake Erie into Lake Ontario and forms the international border between the Canadian province of Ontario and the U.S. state of New York. The falls are 17 miles (27 km) north-northwest of Buffalo, New York and 75 miles (121 km) south-southeast of Toronto, between the twin cities of Niagara Falls, Ontario, and Niagara Falls, New York.Niagara Falls is composed of two major sections, separated by Goat Island: the Horseshoe Falls on the Canadian side and the American Falls on the American side. The smaller Bridal Veil Falls are also located on the American side, separated from the main falls by Luna Island. The international boundary line was originally drawn through Horseshoe Falls in 1819, but the boundary has long been in dispute due to natural erosion and construction.Niagara Falls were formed when glaciers receded at the end of the Wisconsin glaciation (the last ice age), and water from the newly formed Great Lakes carved a path through the Niagara Escarpment en route to the Atlantic Ocean. While not exceptionally high, the Niagara Falls are very wide. More than 6 million cubic feet (168,000 m3) of water falls over the crest line every minute in high flow,and almost 4 million cubic feet (110,000 m3) on average.The Niagara Falls are renowned both for their beauty and as a valuable source of hydroelectric power. Managing the balance between recreational, commercial, and industrial uses has been a challenge for the stewards of the falls since the 19th century.
Niagara Falls Death Unofficially Makes Summer of 2011 Deadliest on Record :
I feel like it's been the deadliest summer ever. What's with everyone dying at national parks this year, right? The latest fatality comes from Niagara Falls, where a woman in her 20s is presumed dead after falling over the edge on Sunday. She and a friend were taking in the views on the Canadian side of the falls when one of them sat down on the rock, straddling the railing. When she went to stand back up, she slipped and fell. She dropped about 80 feet into the river below and hasn't yet been found, but the rescue searchers resumed looking this morning.If it's not a waterfall that gets you, it's a grizzly bear, or a tree, or a glacier, or lightning. There have been so many unfortunate and terrifying accidents this summer -- let's review the deadly legacy that is the summer of 2011.A father was killed in late June when a tree fell on the camping tent that he and his family were sharing. The tree's fall instantly killed the dad and injured the mother, but thankfully the kids walked away unscratched.In early July, a 57-year-old man was killed by a grizzly bear at Yellowstone National Park. The man, who was hiking with his wife, accidentally stumbled upon a mama bear and her cubs, and the rest is unfortunate history.In mid-July, three hikers went over the 317-foot Vernal waterfall in Yosemite. The two men and one woman are presumed dead.A father and son were killed by lightning ... 48 years apart. Stephen Rooney, 54, was at a family picnic when he was fatally struck. His father died the same way in 1963. Creepy!A 17-year-old hiker, Kao Kue, slipped and fell while on the Mist Trail in Yosemite last week and died due to the head injuries he sustained. He was Yosemite's 15th fatality in 2011.Another 17-year-old boy was mauled to death by a hungry polar bear that found its way into the teens' campsite near the North Pole. A group member shot the bear after it attacked the boy and four others.Last week glacier collapsed in Alaska, giving tourists on a boat more than they bargained for. Ice chunks came flying at them and one woman broke her leg.