Are Niagara falls sometimes entirely frozen? why waste the water for marriages pics instead of electricity?

Answer 1

It would have to be well below freezing for a long period of time for Niagara falls to freeze so that the water stopped flowing. Personally, having lived near the falls for a long time, i have never heard of it freezing over or seen it. I have seen many pictures of the sides (near the rocks) freezing. As for power, it is a huge source of electric power for Ontario (#1 source i think) and Ontario consumes a lot of electricity.

Answer 2

I don't know about *entirely* frozen, but this 1900 photo shows a fairly well frozen Horseshoe Falls.

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Image:Frozen_Horseshoe_Falls_from_Canadian_side.JPG

As for electricity, in spite of the splendour of the falls, they are stealing a good bit of it to make power!

"US:
Robert Moses GS
13 Generators 2,275,000 Kilowatts
Lewiston Pump GS - Reservoir
12 Generators 300,000 Kilowatts

Total US Power Generation Capacity
2,575,000 Kilowatts

CANADA
Sir Adam Beck #1 GS
10 Generators 470,000 Kilowatts
Sir Adam Beck #2 GS
16 Generators 1,290,000 Kilowatts
Sir Adam Beck Pump GS - Reservoir
6 Generators 120,000 Kilowatts
DeCew #1 GS - St. Catharines
5 Generators 23,000 Kilowatts
DeCew #2 GS - St. Catharines
2 Generators 142,000 Kilowatts

Total Canada Power Generation Capacity
2,045,000 Kilowatts"

Answer 3

You can never use all of the water going over a waterfall for power. First of all it would totally destroy the river ecology. Second, flow varies, a lot. You'll lose a lot of money unless you simply design your power plant to use no more than the minimum water available at any time.

Answer 4

I was there few yrs ago and they have like a little museum - and I think we did see pictures when it was completely frozen (long time ago though).