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Niagara Falls is located on the international border between the cities of Niagara Falls New York in the United States and Niagara Falls Ontario in Canada. This spectacular waterfall is one of the most popular tourist attractions in North America and is a beautiful sight to see. The Niagara Falls are over 36 miles in length and over 3,160 tons of water flows over the falls each second. Have you ever wondered how this amazing natural wonder actually came to be?

In geological terms, Niagara Falls is rather young. The formation of the falls began at the end of the Ice Age which was approximately 12,000 years ago. During this time large amounts of fast-moving water were being released from the melting glaciers and draining into what is now the Niagara River forming the Niagara Escarpment. The glaciers also pressed down on the land and laid down layers of sediment. The slow process of erosion of ice and water wore away at the surface of the escarpment allowing the falls to form over time.

Historically, the original location of Niagara Falls was approximately seven miles north of the current location. This movement was caused by the continuous process of erosion of the area surrounding the falls. Erosion and movement of the falls continues today but at a much slower pace because of modern engineering.

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