Tidal Thames & floodwater

[alistairedw]

I had a look at the Thames between Richmond and Teddington at lunchtime. Very impressive stream going over the weirs at Teddington.

River level well above normal but not too bad as we currently have neap tides. However I am concerned about what will happen next week when we will have fairly high spring tides (6.9M versus 5.4M currently).

The combination of all that floodwater plus an ebbing spring tide is going to be very powerful.

My motor boat is on a trot mooring near Eel Pie island in a relatively sheltered part of the river. However as a precaution I went over today and doubled up my bow lines.

I fear that boats on exposed moorings are going to be virtually planing next week when the tide ebbs!

 

[Brayman]

Don't they close the thames Barrier for Low tide so as to reduce the strength of flow?

 

[alistairedw]

I hope there is something they are able to do to calm down the tidal flow.

I suppose they could restrict the height of high water for a couple of hours on each high tide without causing too much of a backlog of floodwater?

 

[MiskinDriver]

I've only ever seen it closed when the tides are likely to be high. There does not appear to be any indication on the PLA site that any extra closures are planned from those on the NOTMariners.

The river looks perfectly normal down here on the tidal bit - and the live tide gauges are less than a metre from prediction so I guess there's nothing much happening at the moment.

 

[Twister_Ken]

In the past, at times of upstream flooding they have closed the barrier at low water to prevent the tidal Thames above the barrier from filling with the North Sea, thus leaving room for more river water to drain.

 

[angelaquayle]

The last thing I have heard is that there is only a very low risk of problems on the Tideway. The tides next week are higher but not 'high'. The river has more capacity downstream too. I believe we have operated the thames barrier to stop tidal surges when it's been necessary in the past but I haven't heard anything about that as yet.

 

[alistairedw]

Thanks for the info. While the upcoming spring tides are not in the very high range but they will certainly be high enough to generate a very powerful ebb. I agree that downstream as the river broadens out the flow will be less of an issue.

However I fear that between Teddington and Isleworth we may see pontoons and moorings going walkies.

 

[byron]

[ QUOTE ]


However I fear that between Teddington and Isleworth we may see pontoons and moorings going walkies.

[/ QUOTE ]

Tow me up a pontoon or two, I could do with them /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[1yppah]

I think they are hoping and praying the water will have mostly gone by next week, the tides are high but not major, worse case I can see you stranded in the garden of the white swan.

I live opposite Tedd lock and whilst the stream is serious there has been no flooding at the top of tide.

I will keep you posted if I flood, but then again I live on the 2nd floor!

In fact I even saw a Gondala being launched on Tuesday in this stream!

 

[alistairedw]

[ QUOTE ]
In fact I even saw a Gondala being launched on Tuesday in this stream!

[/ QUOTE ]

Did you have a 'long lunch' before this sighting? /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

 

[1yppah]

try Gondola...........sorry!

I think the Italians who launched it thought the stream was always this fast! They were rowing to Greenwich............and back!

 

[Doolittle]

...talking of Gondolas...

Was chatting to Mike Dennett (of Dennett Boat Builders) just this lunchtime, when he got a call from a foreign gent in Henley enquiring about buying 10 gondolas for a hire business idea. His budget was £10k... for all of them! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[gerwinette]

Hi all,

My name is Simon Nebesnuick and I work for the Environment Agency at the Thames Barrier. I have been asked to write a few comments on this board about the situation for the Tidal Thames by one of your members.

The Thames Barrier was built in order to protect London from the risk of tidal flooding, and is closed based on the interaction of three main factors;

· the height of the tide (usually spring tide) measured at the Thames Estuary
· any storm surge coming down the East coast of the UK and into the Estuary
· Fluvial (rainfall) flow entering the Tidal Thames from the Thames catchment

To date (August 2007) the Thames Barrier has been closed 103 times to prevent flooding in London.

The effect of the tide coming up the River Thames becomes negligible upstream of Teddington in southwest London. Upstream of this point, the river is dominated by the effect of the fluvial flow coming down from the upper Thames catchment.

As a matter of routine, both the incoming tide levels and the fluvial flow coming down the Thames are closely monitored 24 hours a day.

For the recent flooding events that have occurred along the Thames, it has not been necessary to close the Thames Barrier to assist areas affected by fluvial floods, as the tides have been very low. The main areas that have been affected from flooding are much further upstream than the locations in 2003, and closing the Barrier in this instance would have had no relieving effect.

If any of the users of this wesbite think they might be living in a floodplain, of the Thames, or of anyother river, I recommend they visit the Environment Agencys website (www.environment-agency.gov.uk) and check to see if their propoerty is at risk. It is possible to register to the Agencys FREE Flood Warning Service to recieve up-to-date and comprehensive flood warnings directly via fax, telephone, email, pager and SMS text message.

I hope that I have given you some insight into what happens at the Barrier. I will try and check this forum and see if you have any other questions or comments.

Many thanks
Simon Nebesnuick
Flood Incident Management Officer

 

[Doolittle]

Many thanks for registering and contributing to this forum.

It's appreciated.

 

[Andrew_Fanner]

Thanks for that Simon, very interesting. Don't go away now, doubtless other questions may come your way.

 

[Brayman]

[ QUOTE ]
For the recent flooding events that have occurred along the Thames, it has not been necessary to close the Thames Barrier to assist areas affected by fluvial floods, as the tides have been very low. The main areas that have been affected from flooding are much further upstream than the locations in 2003, and closing the Barrier in this instance would have had no relieving effect.


[/ QUOTE ]
That's interesting, I'm sure I saw Eileen McEever being interviewd at Caversham Lock and mentioned that the Barrier was being closed to alleviate the problems of the downcoming flood. ah well, it was probably on BBC so why should I have believed it?

 

[Twister_Ken]

I'm bemused. Walked along the Thames from Kew to Hampton Court on Sunday 29th July, and on the tidal part the flow was downstream, but the level was rising rather than falling, as you'd expect. Why did that happen?

 

[byron]

Tide coming in underneath the river flow going out.