What Rivers Feed Niagara Falls? The Niagara River Connects Lake Erie to Lake Ontario

Niagara Falls is fed by a single waterway: the Niagara River. Though called a river, it's technically a strait—a 36-mile (58 km) channel connecting Lake Erie to Lake Ontario, draining the upper Great Lakes (Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie) toward the Atlantic via the St. Lawrence.

Key Facts

• Length: ~36 miles (58 km)
• Drainage basin: ~250,000 sq mi (647,000 km²)—all the upper Great Lakes
• Flow: ~85,000 cubic feet/second (2,400 m³/s) average
• Elevation drop: 326 ft (99 m) total, with ~167 ft at the Falls

Hydroelectric Powerhouse

The river's massive flow and steep gradient make it one of North America's premier hydroelectric sites. The Robert Moses Niagara (NY) and Sir Adam Beck (Ontario) generating stations divert up to 75% of flow (by treaty), producing 4.9 GW combined—powering millions of homes on both sides of the border.

The Falls Themselves

The river splits around Goat Island into three cataracts: Horseshoe Falls (Canadian side, 90% of flow), American Falls, and Bridal Veil Falls (U.S. side).

One river, two lakes, three waterfalls, two nations, one colossal energy resource.