Water Quality at Queen’s Royal Beach (2024)

FAQs

Water Quality at Queen’s Royal Beach? ›

As of March 2023, the Beach Closings Beneficial Use Impairment (BUI) is officially changed to 'Not Impaired' in the Niagara River

While there are no specific laws prohibiting swimming in the river, authorities strongly advise against it due to the river's powerful currents, unpredictable nature, and inherent risks.

Queen's Royal Beach is the only public swimming beach on the Niagara River, located in the Town of Niagara-on-the-Lake at the foot of King Street.

The water is still fresh water and is perfectly safe. The colours come from natural elements the rushing waters pick up along their journey. The brown foam below the Niagara Falls waterfalls is that colour because of clay. Clay contains decayed vegetative matter, which is absorbed as the water travels.

Niagara Falls, being a popular tourist destination, maintains a reliable and safe water supply. Hotels in the area typically provide tap water that is safe for drinking and other domestic uses. You can trust the tap water in most establishments, including hotels and restaurants.

Unfortunately, the River is also the recipient of toxic wastes that pollute its waters and prevent us from fully enjoying its beneficial uses. The River drops close to 100 meters (328 feet) along its course, most of which is at Niagara Falls.

Four of the five Great Lakes (Superior, Michigan, Huron, and Erie) drain into the Niagara River before emptying into Lake Ontario. These five Great Lakes make up almost one-fifth of the world's fresh water supply.

Queen's Royal Beach, located in the Town of Niagara-on-the-Lake at the foot of King Street (map), is the only public swimming beach on the Niagara River.

Spawning chinook and coho salmon migrate annually up the Niagara River from Lake Ontario, and the river up to Niagara Falls is the site of one of the Great Lakes' best runs of large chinook salmon, typically in the 15- to 35-pound range.

William J.

Kendall, a policeman from Boston Mass. swam the Whirlpool Rapids on August 22, 1886.

How safe is Niagara water? ›

This water is purified through microfiltration and reverse osmosis which removes the salts, minerals, and any suspended solids from the water. Niagara^® also incorporates ozone contact systems to disinfect their drinking water and ensure the highest quality product.

An estimated 60 tons of dissolved minerals are swept over Niagara Falls every minute. The colour comes from the dissolved salts and “rock flour,” very finely ground rock, picked up primarily from the limestone bed but probably also from the shales and sandstones under the limestone cap at the falls.

The river cuts through sandstones, limestones and some dolostones. But the culprit for the beautiful blue is the limestone! Limestone is composed primarily of calcium carbonate (CaCO3) and is white in color. As the river breaks down this rock into tiny crystals, these crystals will get mixed up into the water.

At the top of the falls (both of them), the Niagara River is only about ten feet deep. At the crest of either fall, you can clearly see the bottom through the water. At the bottom of the Horseshoe Falls, the Niagara River is about 170 feet deep - about as deep as the falls are high.

Fluoride is not added to Niagara's tap water. Residents should brush their teeth twice daily for two minutes with fluoride toothpaste to prevent cavities. Fluoride is a naturally occurring mineral found in: Water.

For the last 10 years, all Niagara facilities have been certified as SQF Level 3 through NSF or Eurofins, which is the highest level of certification attainable.

The deepest section in the Niagara River is just below the falls. It is so deep that it equals the height of the falls above: 52 metres (170 ft.) The Upper Niagara River extends 35 kilometres (22 mi.) from Lake Erie to the Cascade Rapids, which begin 1 kilometre (0.6 mi.)

Karl Heinz Koch. During the summer of 1964, Karl Heinz Koch was arrested by police for swimming in the Niagara River approximately 200 yards downstream of the American Falls. At the time of his arrest, Koch said "I was hot and I didn't see any sign saying no swimming, so I took a little dip".

Niagara Parks encourages all visitors to respect this nature area by not littering, staying on the marked trails and carrying out anything carried in. Dogs must be leashed at all times. Cycling and swimming in the Niagara Glen are strictly prohibited.

Niagara Falls, Canada is generally a very safe city, but it's still advisable to use good judgement when visiting a new place.