Thames Flood Barrier To Protect London - The Second Largest Flood Defence Protection In The World

**♥ Lily ♥** · 07-25-2014, 06:15 PM

After the floods in New York, I think it would be a good idea for the US to build some to protect their cities too.
The Thames Flood Barrier was built in 1982 and is named as the worlds most important movable flood defence barrier.
It's designed to last for many decades without breaking down.
The Thames Flood Barrier was the largest flood defence system built in the world, until the Netherlands built an even larger flood defence system.
The Thames Barrier is one of the largest movable flood barriers in the world.
The Environment Agency runs and maintains the Thames Barrier as well as the London’s other flood defences.
The Thames Barrier spans 520 metres across the River Thames near Woolwich, and it protects 125 square kilometres of central London from flooding caused by tidal surges. It became operational in 1982 and has 10 steel gates that can be raised into position across the River Thames.
When raised, the main gates stand as high as a 5-storey building and as wide as the opening of Tower Bridge.
Each main gate weighs 3,300 tonnes.
https://www.gov.uk/the-thames-barrier
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thames_Barrier

This is what would happen without the Thames Flood Barrier (London would be under water now due to the tidal surge from the North Sea, combined with rainfall, sea level rises, and the fact that London lays at low sea level with the River Thames running through the city.
The River Thames has been important over the centuries in making London a major trading capital.