Restored to its former glory
Finally, in November 1969, the work was finished. After the cofferdam had been destroyed with dynamite, the waterfall was returned to its former glory. Additionally, the IJC was pleased that steps had been taken to protect the natural wonder instead of turning it into something artificial.
Ironically, the Niagara Falls of 1969 were very different from the falls that European explorers had discovered centuries earlier and that the native inhabitants had known for centuries. Early industry had taken such a toll on the region that, in fact, conservation efforts had been underway as early as the 1800s.