Niagara Falls Is Slowly Creeping Backward

One of the world's most powerful waterfalls is on the move. Over the past 12,300 years, Niagara Falls has carved its way upstream for 7.1 miles, slowly retreating from its original location near Queenston-Lewiston toward Lake Erie. The falls literally eat away at the rock beneath them, tumbling backward inch by inch, year by year.

For centuries, this geological migration happened at a dramatic pace. Historical records show the falls retreated between 3 to 5 feet every single year—roughly 300 to 500 feet per century. That's fast enough that multiple human generations could witness noticeable changes in the falls' position.

The Power Behind the Movement

The erosion happens because of the unique geology at Niagara. The river flows over a hard cap of erosion-resistant limestone, but underneath lies softer shale and sandstone. As water crashes over the edge, it erodes the softer rock underneath, eventually causing chunks of the harder capstone to break off and tumble into the gorge below.

This process has been carving the Niagara Gorge since the end of the last ice age. The falls began their journey at the escarpment edge near modern-day Queenston and Lewiston, and have been working their way south ever since, creating the dramatic gorge we see today.

Engineering Slows the Clock

In 1942, everything changed. Humans began diverting massive amounts of water for hydroelectric power generation, dramatically reducing the volume flowing over the falls. Engineers also got to work stabilizing the rock face, repairing geological faults, and constructing underwater weirs to control erosion.

The result? Niagara's retreat has slowed to a crawl. The Horseshoe Falls now erodes at less than one foot per year—some estimates suggest it could be as little as one foot per decade. The American Falls erode even more slowly, at just 2-4 inches every ten years.

A Waterfall With an Expiration Date

Even at this reduced pace, Niagara Falls won't last forever. Scientists estimate that in approximately 20,000 to 50,000 years, the falls will retreat all the way to Lake Erie. When that happens, the falls will cease to exist, replaced by a series of rapids as the elevation difference between the two Great Lakes disappears.

For now, though, this natural wonder continues its slow march backward—a geological process we've dramatically slowed but can't completely stop. Every year, Niagara Falls is slightly upstream from where it was the year before, carving its legacy into the bedrock of North America.