Frequently Asked Questions

Find out the answers to your questions about London flood risk and the Thames Barrier below. Each question is a link through to its answer.

How much did the Barrier cost to build?
How long did the Barrier take to build?
Who designed the Barrier?
How big are the gates?
Why are the pier roofs the shape they are, what are they made of
and what do they contain?
How was it possible to pour concrete into the water during
construction?
How long does it take to close the gates?
What powers the machinery in the Barrier?
How often has the Barrier been used for flood defence purposes?
Why do the gates not get jammed with built up silt?
How deep is the river at normal low and high tides?
How many counties does the Thames pass through?
At what speed does the river flow?
How long is the river Thames?
Who paid for the Thames Barrier?
Who built the Barrier?
How did we manage flooding before the Thames Barrier?
Why did we build the Thames Barrier?
What were the stages in the decision to build the Barrier?
How much does it cost to operate the Thames Barrier and associated defences?
Has there been a rise in sea-level in the tidal part of the River Thames since the Thames Barrier was completed? If there has been, is this due to global warming?
How fast is the sea-level rising by?
At present is the Thames Barrier and other flood defences able to cope with sea level rise?
It has been reported that the Thames Barrier is coming to the end of its life, is this true?
Is the Thames Barriers life expectancy due to increasing sea-level, storm intensities over the North Sea or another reason?
At present, what level of protection does the Thames Barrier provide?
What would happen if the Thames Barrier was overtopped?
Does the closing of the barrier cause the height of the water at high tide between the Barrier and the Thames mouth to be higher than if the Barrier was left open?
When is the Barrier more likely to close due to more dangerous conditions?
Could the Thames Barrier be used to generate electricity?
I am a developer in the Thames Tidal Area; where can I find useful information in regards to development and flood risk?

At the Thames Barrier we have a team dedicated to answering public enquiries and assisting in the data provision for developments in regards to flood risk assessment. To contact us you can call our national customer contact team on 08708 506 506.
Please follow the link below for more information:
http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/research/planning/33704.aspx

Frequently Asked Questions

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