Webinar - Ancient Seas, Glaciers and Waterfalls: The Geologic History of the Niagara Escarpment

(Recording from May 28, 2020, Webinar for BTC Members)

Presented by: Dr. Carolyn Eyles and Rebecca Lee, School of Geography & Earth Sciences, McMaster University.

In this webinar we explore the fascinating geological history of the Niagara Escarpment. The rocks we see exposed along the Escarpment today were deposited in an ancient tropical sea that covered large parts of Ontario between 400 and 450 million years ago. The sea teemed with marine life and these ancient animals are now preserved as fossils within the limestones, dolostones and shales that accumulated on the sea floor. These ancient sedimentary rocks have been eroded over time as glaciers and rivers repeatedly scoured the landscape; the steep Escarpment face we see today continues to evolve as waterfalls cascade over its edge.