Response against flooding of the town: London-escape the flood thanks to the Thames Barrier

Built with the initial purpose to combat the rising sea, the system certainly water Thames Barrier is today more function to regulate the water flow of the River Thames every time rain to London from being flooded.

Design and build

London is an area prone to flooding. A storm created by low pressure in the Atlantic Ocean sometimes move up to the North East of Scotland, then pour into the shallow waters of the North Sea. The tide will rise up over the Thames Estuary. If the storm coincided with the tide, the water level of the River Thames can reach dangerous levels.

This increasing threat over time also due to sea level rise 20 cm per century and the gradual tilting of the UK (high up in the North and West, lowered in the South and East 5 cm per century). A severe flood occurred in London in 1953, when the North Sea overflowed into the River Thames caused more than 300 deaths and severe economic damage.

After the flood of horror that, the British Government decided to build the Thames Barrier in the water barrier system Woolwich to protect Central London area width 125km2 from the flooding. Complete works in 1984, spent 535 million (1.7 billion EUR), both preventing sea water, regulate water levels on the River Thames, the London flood scene no longer help.

The area was chosen to build the barrier (wall) is the New Charlton, because where that river is relatively straight and strong enough to hold the geological barrier. The construction of the Thames Barrier started in 1974 and in 1982 essentially complete. Works officially inaugurated on 8 May 1984.

Thames Barrier 520m in length across the river. The North Shore is in the South coast and Newham Silvertown is New Charlton in Greenwich. The barrier consists of 6 navigation portals, of which 4 port 2 port 30 m in width and 61 m wide. There are also 4 smaller ports not navigating, located between 9 and 2 concrete piers of bridge abutment.

The ports can rotate 180 degree vertical swivel horizontal or. All the gates are hollow and made of steel, 40 mm thick, they are filled with water when the sink and rivers when water runs out discharge will emerge. 4 port high Center 20, 1 m and weighed 3,700 tonnes. 4 revolving doors near the riverbank about 30 m and can be lowered.

Normally, the steel Gates will be open to the free circulation of river water as well as to allow boats to pass. In case of need, the ports will be closed, avoid the water overflowing the banks of the River caused flooding.  It takes 75-90 minutes to close the gate, starting from the port side, the ports in between will play the final. According to the Greenwichengland.com page, the Thames Barrier was described as man-made wonders of the world’s eighth.

To 2070 is still good

The portal of the Thames Barrier will be closed (raised) when the tidal water in the North Sea will rise high and the water level of the River in the Centre of London exceeded 4, 8.87 m. The sea level at the mouth of the River Thames was the computer Met Office forecasts and also based on the model prediction and measurement of the computer system of the Thames Barrier.

About 9 hours before the tide rises to the level of closed rooms, flood management will notice preventing river transport, closed the extra ports. As well as the Thames Barrier, the small stores along the River Thames include Barking Barrier, King George V Gate, Dartford Barrier, door at Tilbury Docks and Canvey Island must also be closed.

Once the river transport has been stopped and all the small doors are closed, the Thames Barrier can be self closed. The small door closed first, then the main navigation next door. The closure was maintained until the tidal water levels downstream rising water levels on the upper level.

Since its inauguration in July-2014, Thames Barrier has closed a total of 174 times to prevent flooding. In particular, only in the day 9-11-2007, Thames Barrier is close to 2 times due to appear a big storm in the North Sea, with the storm in 1953.

The times closed the Thames Barrier’s notable including: day 20-8-1989, the barrier was sealed to resist a severe spring tides during the 16 hours. On 27 October 1997, the Thames Barrier was also closed, but not by the tides, which due to the ship MV Sand Kite collided with a bridge pier of River Thames Barrier due to the fog too thick. So far, the Thames Barrier has “survived” after a 15-ship collision.

Initially, the Thames Barrier due to the Greater London Council (GLC). After the GLC was dissolved in 1986, the Thames Barrier was the Thames Water Authority and the national waterways authority management. Since 1996, it was delivered to the Environment Agency.

The barrier was originally designed to protect London from a very high flood level (100-year frequency/time) to 2030. At the time of construction, it was the barrier is expected to be used 2-3 times per year, but currently they are used 6-7 times per year. The water level is calculated to include the long change of sea level as calculated at that time (circa 1970).

Although the phenomenon of global warming and forecasts will rise faster than sea water, the recent analysis that the Thames Barrier could work well in 2060-2070. From 1982 to 19-3-2007, the barrier was lifted 100 times to avoid flooding. It also was elevated to test interoperability.

Thames Barrier and mechanism of action.

Alternative proposals

A study of the four scholar published in 2005 suggest replacing the Thames Barrier by a series of horizontal 16 km long barrier the Thames Estuary from Sheerness in Kent to Southend in Essex. November 2011, the proposed construction of a Thames Barrier, the new downstream at Tilbury in Essex between East Hope Lower and Cliffe in Kent. The barrier will combine with the hydroelectric turbines to generate renewable energy. Works will also include the road and underground rail, provide connections from Essex to a new airport in the Isle of Grain.

In January 2013, in a letter to The Times, a former member of the Advertising Team project the Thames Barrier, TS. Richard Bloore, say the barrier preventing the flood was not designed to fight the bigger storms and sea-level rise higher, should the need to build the new barrier immediately.

However, the environmental agency replied that they had no plans to replace the Thames Barrier before the year 2070, because the barrier was designed to be able to succumb to the rising sea 8 mm each year until 2030. Does the Thames Barrier only exist for about half of its designed lifespan.

Although designed to help London not flooded until 2030, but the environment agency said if upgrading, Thames Barrier can protect London until at least 2070, should not need replacement.

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