After Engineers Drained The Niagara Falls In 1969, Observers Made A Stomach-Churning Discovery

In June 1969, a team of engineers succeeded in a Herculean task. Against the odds, they stemmed the flow of Niagara Falls, silencing one of the most famous attractions on planet Earth. But as the water dried up for the first time in thousands of years, a dark secret was revealed on the rocks below.

From torrent to trickle

Millions of tourists are drawn to the area every year, looking in awe at the churning waters — a constant reminder of just how powerful Mother Nature can be. But over five decades ago, the famous torrent became a mere trickle while engineers investigated something happening behind the scenes.

A sinister secret

On that occasion, man trumped nature in a staggering show of what engineering can achieve. And as the waterfall began to recede, visitors gathered to witness a spectacle that had never been seen before. As it turned out, something sinister had been hiding beneath the spray.

Melting ice

The story of Niagara Falls began around 18,000 years ago when advancing ice sheets carved great swathes into the landscape that would become North America. When the ice melted, it sent a cascade of water flowing into the Niagara River, eroding nearby cliffs and creating the natural wonder that we know and love today — even despite its disturbing secret.

A centuries-old wonder

Now, Niagara Falls sits on the border of the United States and Canada and is one of the most recognizable landmarks in the world. It’s not known, though, how long humans have been aware of its existence. While there are no written records of such events, it’s likely that the region’s indigenous communities were the first to marvel at the wonder of the falls.