Managing the Water at Niagara
In 1950, Canada and the United States signed the Niagara Diversion Treaty, agreeing to
preserve the natural beauty of Niagara Falls and equally divide the Niagara River water for
electricity generation.
Around the clock every day of the year, a staff of
skilled and dedicated technicians and engineers
control the flow over the Falls at the International
Control Dam, located near Upper Rapids Blvd
and the Niagara Parkway. The amount of water
actually diverted to generate electricity depends
on the amount of electricity the U.S.’s Robert
Moses Generating Station and OPG’s Beck
stations at Niagara are asked to produce to meet
demand. Of course, the minimum flow over the
falls must be met first.
Operation of the International Control Dam is
jointly funded by OPG and the New York Power
Authority. Staff at River Control act independently
of the two power companies. Their mission is to
ensure compliance with the 1950 treaty.
The flow of water from Lake Erie towards Lake Ontario is between 6,000 and 7,000 cms. The
water available for power generation is diverted through three tunnels and a canal on the
Canadian side, conveying water to the Sir Adam Beck generating stations, and through two
tunnels on the U.S. side, conveying water to the Robert Moses Generating Station. Any amount
of water beyond the minimum stipulated by the treaty, or required for power generation, also
flows over Niagara Falls.
Did you know? A cubic metre of water is 1,000 litres. That means the minimum flow over
Niagara Falls on a summer day is over 2,832,000 litres per second!