Geology

The Niagara Falls is said to have been formed some time around the end of the Ice Age. The Wisconsin glaciation created the river when the ice melted, which eventually formed the Niagara Falls. In geological terms, the Niagara Falls is a very young waterfall despite it being over 12’300 years old. The Niagara Falls consists of four different rock types, the harder ones found on the upper layer and the softer ones at the bottom layer. The rock types are: Dolomite, Limestone, Sandstone and Shale.

The top layer is made up of Lockport Dolomite. This layer is gray in color, and it is extremely hard. The waterfalls flow over this layer. Under this is the Rochester Shale which is extremely soft and is dark gray in color, which is over the Irondequoit and Reynales Limestone, followed by the Thorold Sandstone and the Medina (Grimsby) Sandstone which is red.

The Power Glen Shale can be found under these layers and has a dark gray color. The last two bottom layers are Whirlpool Sandstone (white) and the Queenston Shale (red), which is very soft. The formation was slow and occurred within the span of centuries. Erosion is a common happening but the water diversion and preservation of The Falls has dramatically decreased this.