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Thames Barrier

Description: The Thames Barrier is a flood control structure on the River Thames at Woolwich Reach in London. It is the world's ... more

Thames Barrier ... second largest movable flood barrier after the Oosterscheldekering in The Netherlands. River Thames Flood Barrier River Thames Flood Barrier The gate in the middle of this view has been raised to the maintenance position and a barge is in attendance. The gate in the middle of this view has been raised to the maintenance position and a barge is in attendance. Built across a 523 metre wide stretch of the river, the barrier divides the river into six navigable and four smaller non-navigable channels between nine large concrete piers. The flood gates across the openings are radial, i.e., half-cylindrical, and they operate by rotating, raised by hydraulics out of a horizontal sill below the water to form the barrier. They can rotate further to allow "underspill" for maintenance. All the gates are made of steel. The four large central gates are 61 metres long, 10.5 metres high (above local ground level) and weigh 1,500 tonnes; the outer two gates are 31.5 metres. Additionally, four radial gates by the riverbanks can be lowered. These gate openings, unlike the main six, are non-navigable.

Newest Review: ... times and as recently as March of last year. When looking at the barrier it is quite impressive even if it is rather ugly! At the point which it has been built the river is over five hundred yards wide. The barrier covers this complete section and breaks the river into four different sections, each approximately two hundred feet in length. When looking at the barrier above sea-level it ... more

... doesn't appear to be a barrier at all, just four Sydney opera house shaped structures spanning the river. Most of the barrier is actually underwater. These can be raised using hydraulic winches which raise the barrier by rotating it through ninety deg...more

Read Reviews for Thames Barrier

The Thames Barrier (302 words)
by - written on 22/10/08 (Very useful, 60 readings)
Rating:

I first saw the Thames Barrier when I was taken on a pleasure boat trip up the River Thames as a young lad by my parents, I remember being intrigued by it and began quizzing my father all about which I'm sure he was delighted with! The Thames Barrier is a flood control measure spanning the width of the river. Apparently it has been used over one hundred times and as recently as March of last year. When looking at the barrier it is quite impressive even if it is rather ugly! At the point which it has been built the river is over five hundred yards wide. The barrier covers this complete section and breaks the river into four different sections, each ... Read the complete review

London Floods? (829 words)
by - written on 21/02/08 (Very useful, 164 readings)
Rating:

The Thames river barrier was built between 1974 and 1984 to protect London from floods caused by high tides and storm surges. Built 523 metres wide across the stretch of the river, the gate is 10.5 metres high and weighs 3500 tonnes. Sounds pretty safe doesn't it? Prior to 1990, the barrier closed on average just twice a year. On average since then it has closed 4 times a year, with a peak of 14 in 2003. Surely now the time has come to build up the barrier again before nature catches up with us. In this I'll talk about issues which could potentially lead to inreased chances of flooding in London over the next century. The probable effects of climate change ... Read the complete review