See a furious waterfall — without water

View from top of de-watered Niagara Falls

A view from the top of the de-watered Niagara Falls in 1969 in New York. Unearthed after 41 years by American Russ Glasson, they were taken by his mother and father in law and show when the famous waterfall was turned off for almost six months. For six months in the summer and autumn of 1969, Niagara’s American Falls were “de-watered”, when the Army Corps of Engineers conducted a survey of the falls’ rock face, concerned that it was becoming destabilized by erosion. During that period, while workers cleaned the former river-bottom and drilled test-cores in search of instabilities, a temporary walkway was installed twenty feet from the edge of the dry falls, and tourists were able to explore this otherwise inaccessible landscape.

Distant view of dry Niagara Falls

Distant view of a dry Niagara Falls showing the collection of rocks and boulders usually hidden by the gushing waters.

US Army

A US Army Corps Engineers truck parks atop the de-watered Niagara Falls in 1969 in New York.

View from banks beside dry Niagara Falls

A view from the banks beside a dry Niagara Falls taken in 1969.

Rocks from landslides that are covered

Rocks from landslides that are usually covered by a torrent of water are shown gathered at the base of Niagara Falls.

View from banks of dry Niagara River

A view from the banks of a dry Niagara River.

Aerial view of dry Niagara Falls

An aerial view of the dry Niagara Falls showing the temporary dam in the top-right of this photograph.

American Falls as they normally appear

The American Falls as they normally appear.…