Did you ever hear of Chaudière Falls?

 

I had never heard of Chaudière Falls, in my entire life. But I happened to see an aerial (or drone, I'm not sure, it was definitely in the air, though) view of Ottawa, Canada, and there was a big waterfall going over rocks, with a dam right next to it.

I figured that it was something significant. I think that turned out to be correct.

This is what it looks like in Google Maps satellite view:

And this is what it looks like from the viewing area:

So what is happening here?

Experience Chaudière Falls.

And from this section:  

Learn more about Chaudière Falls

the following summary is provided:

"Chaudière Falls is a captivating destination, steeped in Indigenous history and tales of early exploration. The falls have witnessed centuries of change, making them not only a natural wonder but also a cultural and historical landmark.

Home to Canada’s oldest hydroelectric station still in operation, Chaudière Falls was responsible for lighting Ottawa’s streets with electricity and fuelled the industrial explosion of the mid-1800s by providing water power for the vast complex of lumber mills that once occupied the shoreline of the Ottawa River. Elements of the city’s industrial past remain today, including two of the site’s oldest buildings, which survived the Great Fire of 1900.

Today, a new, modern generating station exemplifies responsible hydroelectric generation with minimal to zero impact on the visual, natural and aquatic environments and serves as a tourist attraction – offering safe viewing platforms, a bridge across the intake canal, and stunning views."

So I'll finish with a video.  It's impressive; it would probably have been more impressive if all the dams and mills hadn't been build around it. But that's progress for ya.