2nd Thames Barrier?

[DJE]

Did anybody else notice this? A possible barrier from Sheerness to Southend! If they were going to use a barrier for tidal power as well as flood control then it would have to have locks unless the river was to be closed to navigation. I expect the PLA would go ballistic. Also anything that significantly reduces the flow in a muddy estuary is going to lead to all sorts of siltation problems.

Assuming it were built what would be the pros and cons for the local boating fraternity?

 

[IanPoole2]

I think they are talking decades in the future. On balance - flood central london/city & cripple the economy, countless dead or close the Port of London - its a bit of a no brainer.
However, if the silting of the Colne after the Wivenhoe barrier was commissioned (plus the extra water extraction) is anything to go by and you'll be looking at a handful of years before the upper reaches of the tidway become non-navigable to all but the shallowest of craft.

 

[ZuidWester]

A disaster for the Thames

This would be a disaster for the Thames and (I believe) would contradict the government's flooding policy where sustainable solutions, such as allowing flooding in assigned areas are prefered to over engineering.

Check out the Ooster Schelder in the Netherlands for an idea of what it could look like.

 

[IanPoole2]

Re: A disaster for the Thames

No government would classify the flooding of the west end, westminster or the city as "sustainable".

 

[StugeronSteve]

Re: A disaster for the Thames

"No government would classify the flooding of the west end, westminster or the city as "sustainable". "

Except, maybe, the French government. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[pragmatist]

Re: A disaster for the Thames

Flood Westminster ? Dear dear - the kiddies would scweem and scweem and stamp their feet - still it would stop them squabbling about who should be milk monitor this year /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

 

[CharlesM]

Re: A disaster for the Thames

>>Except, maybe, the French government. <<

LOL - That is very good

 

[Kurrawong_Kid]

Why bother? It would be cheaper to move the City, Westminster and all that lot to higher ground. Birmingham is, I believe, along with Mexico City, one of the very few cities of over 1 million souls to be built on a watershed. If the fat cats and politicians( the same ?) want to save their skin, that's where they could go-then they would wish they had rebuilt Wembley Stadium in a sensible place and not in the inaccessible South East. Yes, I've yet again, once more, struggled at considerable expense to the LIBS. Why isn't it held at the NEC? Central for the whole country and alongside B'ham International Airport. As for the eight or nine million people whose homes will be flooded-they will just have to pluck up courage and come North of Watford!

 

[BrendanS]

If you want a list of reasons why it is unlikely to happen, and why it would be a good idea, do a google on 'Severn Barrage'

Same concept, decades earlier

 

[BustinAround]

[ QUOTE ]
the inaccessible South East

[/ QUOTE ]

That has really made me laugh! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif