What does the Thames Barrier give to London?
The Thames Barrier is literally the lifeline of London and when initially constructed it was estimated that it would work at full power and offer full protection for around 100 years. However, projections for sea level rises around the world have increased over the last few years with global warming taking effect and it is now estimated that the level of protection afforded to London will start to diminish after 2060. Without the Thames Barrier the centre of London would be in serious danger especially when you consider that prior to 1990 the gates were closed on no more than two occasions per year on average. This figure increased to 4 times a year between 1990 and 2000 and has reached around 10 times a year today. It is also worth noting that in 2003 the barrier was closed for a record 14 consecutive tides although the most serious tidal surge of recent times occurred on 9 November 2007 when the barrier was closed two times in one day with weather data indicating a surge heading for
