|
The Thames Barrier, one of the largest movable flood barriers in the world, has just celebrated its 30th anniversary after being called on to protect London more than 50 times this winter. In total the Barrier has been in action only a further 120 times since the Queen officially opened it on 8 May 1984. Today the Barrier is used both as a defence against tidal surges, such as that seen last December and to manage flood water from heavy rains, as seen earlier this year.
The Barrier is owned and operated by the Environment Agency, who relies
on our Thames Barrier Navigation
Centre (TBNC) to co-ordinate the safe navigation of 33,000 vessel movements passing through the Barrier every year.
|
|
The centre operates 24 hours a day, 365 days a year using aids including radar, vessels’ Thames Automatic Identification Systems, VHF radio and CCTV.
The movable Barrier comprises 10 gates attached to 39-metre-tall piles that are buried 24 metres into the riverbed.
Built across a 520-metre-wide stretch of the river, the movable Barrier comprises 10 gates attached to 39-metre-tall piles that are buried 24 metres into the riverbed. The four main gates are each 20 metres high, span 61 metres and weigh over 3,300 tonnes. The celebrations took place over four days between 8 to 11 May with special exhibits at the Agency’s Barrier Information Centre.
|
|
