Niagara Falls Ice Jam January 26th 1938

Written by: Brian Neudorff

(Source: NWS in Buffalo)
Perhaps the worst ice jam of record in the Niagara River gorge occurred at Niagara Falls January 26th, 1938. Ice flows pouring over the falls, piled up to a height of more than 30 feet (60 to 70 in spots). The beginning of this was late on the 25th. The terrific pressure of the ice against the steel supports of the Falls View Bridge caused them to bend or break off. The abutments of the bridge were so weakened after more than 24 hours of battering that the great structure fell into the gorge at 4:13pm of January 27th. The plant of the Ontario Hydro-Electric Power Commission on the Canadian side of the gorge near the Horseshoe Falls was nearly buried in ice and water and so seriously damaged that several months will be required to restore service. Water and ice filled the plant to a depth of 18 feet. Many of the giant generators were damaged, perhaps ruined. The docks used by the "Maid of the Mist", and the two steamers themselves, were also damaged. The river at Queenston rose 30 feet, and to within 20 feet of the huge hydro-electric plant at that point; no damage had resulted to this up to the end of January. Along the lower Niagara River, some cottages, boat landings, etc, were damaged or destroyed. Losses from the ice jam are difficult to estimate at the present time, but they will total hundreds of thousands of dollars. Cause of the ice jam: on January 21st, the ice fields at this end of the lake were only moderately thick, about 5 inches. A five day thaw began on that date and caused deterioration of the ice. By the 24th, there was much more open water at the mouth of the Niagara river that is usual in mid-winter. Then came strong southeast to southwest winds and gales, which blew steady for about 60 hours (24th, 25th, and 26th); the hourly wind velocity was 40 to 46 mph for nine hours during the afternoon and early night of the 25th, and the maximum velocity was 47 to 50 mph for seven of these hours. These winds were exactly in the right direction most of the time to carry great quantities of ice over the falls, the destructive ice jam resulting.