Abandoned Tunnels Under Niagara Falls
Those who have had a chance to descend into the Journey Behind the Falls might have noticed a strange, closed-off tunnel leading off the main passage. This abandoned tunnel looks like it hasn't been used for a long time, and the wooden supports of the ceiling are moldy and rotten. Why would anyone dig these passages, you may ask?
The explanation lies in the constant erosion of the edge of the falls. The falls continue to move upstream the Niagara River, a process that has been ongoing for the past 12,000 years since their formation following the end of the last ice age. It turns out that the earlier tunnel that led behind the falls, excavated decades ago, is now leading to a dry edge of the Niagara Gorge cliff, so they had to dig a new one. In the following decades, another tunnel will have to be made to keep up with the relentless work of water against the hard rock of the Niagara River bed.
This will continue for the next several thousand years until Niagara Falls eventually reaches Lake Erie, emptying it into Lake Ontario. Unfortunately, none of us will be around at that time to witness this event. In the meantime, we can step behind the curtain of water at Niagara Falls' Journey Behind the Falls to marvel at the mighty force of nature and ponder about how, for better or worse, nothing lasts forever on planet Earth.
