 Niagara Falls was formed when glaciers receded at the end of the Wisconsin glaciation (the last ice age), and water from the newly formed Great Lakes carved a path through the Niagara Escarpment en route to the Atlantic Ocean.Niagara Falls is famed both for its beauty and as a valuable source of hydroelectric power.Balancing recreational, commercial, and industrial uses has been a challenge for the stewards of the falls since the 19th century.