1:8 J. wT SPENCER— INTERRUPTION IN FLOW OF NIAGARA FALLS 



tinned, with its falling snow, the lake level fell to the lowest on February 

 14, and almost all of the water beneath the ice was withdrawn, so that 

 the American Falls of 1,000 feet in breadth were drained, except four 

 or five insignificant streamlets, as shown in plate 32. The eastern side 

 of the main falls, adjacent to Goat Island, was drained for 800 feet, as 

 may be seen in plate 33, figure 1. The end of the ice-covered rock rim 

 of the first cascade of the upper rapids, with the frozen river in front of 

 Groat Island, is shown in plate 34, figure 1. On the Canadian side, the 

 main falls, which have already been curtailed by 415 feet, due to power 

 diversion, was further drained by about 200 feet, as illustrated in plate 33, 

 figure 2. Another photograph, not reproduced, shows that in the middle 

 of the main cataract the rocks almost reached the surface ; but without 

 allowing for these thinly covered masses, the total shrinkage of the main 

 falls amounted to a reduction of tiie crest line from 2,950 feet (in 1901) 

 to 1,600, and the diameter was shortened from 1,200 feet to less than 800, 

 From the foregoing it may be understood that the cause of Niagara 

 "running dry," as expressed by the newspapers, was due to the recent 

 lowering of the river level (partly owing to power diversion), thus per- 

 mitting the formation of the ice-barriers, which cut off the reduced supply 

 of water during a strong northerly wind, in very cold weather, at a time 

 of the low stages of Lake Erie. This condition continued for nearly a 

 week. Had there been no ice, the extreme effect of the wind would have 

 lasted for only a day, even if the volume of water had been below the 

 normal amount. The Whirlpool Eapids were lowered by many feet, so 

 that the usual rushing, boiling, pitching, torrents seemed tamed, as may 

 be seen in plate 34, figure 2. 



Similar Occurrences 



Within the historic record the only other times when similar phenomena 

 have been seen were the following: On March 29, 1848, the ice from Lake 

 Erie blocked the river for one day, as described by the Hon. Peter A. 

 Porter; on March 22, 1893, a partial stoppage occurred, which also ap- 

 peared to have been due to the blockade of lake ice ; and on February 29, 

 1896, there was another shrinkage of the falls. None of these cases were 

 comparable to that of 1909, when the phenomena lasted for nearly a week 

 from February 14. With the continued draining of the falls, a repetition 

 of these features should be expected. In part, they represent what will 

 become a permanent condition, owing to power diversion. The above 

 is from my personal observations, and the photographs are of my taking 

 or those of Mr. E. Deming Smith, of Niagara Falls, who accompanied me. 



Note. — In March, 1910, owing to the shoaling of the waters on the upper rapids, the 

 ice was caught and so barricaded the New Yorli channel that the American Falls were 

 again damaged, being broken into four parts. 



