Coastal Barrage - Cardiff Bay Barrage

Question 1

What is a coastal barrage?

Answer 1

Hard engineering scheme to prevent coastal flooding.

Question 2

What is the function of coastal barrages?

Answer 2

They protect estuaries against the sea in locations with a high tidal range.
Acts as dam across estuary preventing the incursion of seawater.

Question 3

As well as protecting from flooding what else do dams do?

Answer 3

They create large freshwater lakes behind them - land reclamation schemes.

Question 4

What is significant about the Severn Estuary and the Cardiff Bay?

Answer 4

They have the second largest tidal range in the world - 14km.

Question 5

What happens at Cardiff bay at low tide?

Answer 5

Make bay inaccessible by water for up to 14 days.

Mudflats only visible - unsightly and smelly.

Question 6

What was the main problem in the bay?

Answer 6

Common tidal flooding in the Inner Harbour due to leaky lock gates.

Question 7

Describe the appearance of the barrage?

Answer 7

s-shaped tidal dam 1.1km long.
800m long embankment constructed from sand/rock.
300m concrete section containing locks, sluices, fish passes.

Question 8

The inland face of barrage is…

Answer 8

Landscaped to provide linear park.

Question 9

The seaward side of barrage is…

Answer 9

Protected with rock and stone armour.

Question 10

Why are sluice gates important?

Answer 10

Dissipate wave energy.

Question 11

What do the sluice gates do on the cardiff barrage?

Answer 11

5 sluice gates release flow of the Taff and ELY rivers out of the bay.
3 sluies are 140m long, 10.5m wide.
2 sluices are 40m long, 8m wide.

Question 12

When did the project occur?

Answer 12

Thursday 4th November 1999.

Question 13

How much did the project cost?

Answer 13

£220 million - economic disadvantage.

Question 14

What did the tidal mudflats turn into?

Answer 14

Freshwater lake - environmental advanatge.

Question 15

How much will the artificial lake cost?

Answer 15

£9 million and £12 million maintain every year - eco disad.

Question 16

Reasons for the barrage?

5

Answer 16

Decrease river flooding and tidal flooding - Ely&Taff controlled.
Improve quality of life of community - attract industry.
Creation 30,000 jobs, private investment, sports village.
Fresh water lake aesthetically pleasing.
Reduction in pollutants.

Question 17

Environmental conflicts.

Answer 17

Environmental agency made sue flood defence, water quality, fishery issues properly addressed.
Freinds of Earth - ‘barrage destroy wildlife’
Opponents angry at amount of money spent on project.

Question 18

Environmental solutions.

Answer 18

Designated SSSI.
Home to 6,00o wading birds.
Gwent Wetlands Reserve habitat for wading birds.

Question 19

Social conflicts.

Answer 19

Locals feared their houses could be damaged from higher water levels.
Contaminated sites would flush underground posing risk to human health.

Question 20

Social solutions.

Answer 20

Compensation given to locals for any damage.

Authority installed pumping stations.

Question 21

Solutions to fish danger.

Answer 21

Specifically designed fish pass to encourage marine life in bay allowing salmon/trout to return to rivers and breed.

Question 22

Name 3 people who opposed the barrage?

Answer 22

RSPB.
Farmers.
Friends of the Earth.

Question 23

Name 3 people who supported the barrage?

Answer 23

Local businesses.
Local government .
Unemployed.