Thames barrier

Question 1

The Thames Barrier was opened in …………….. after construction started in

Answer 1

1982

construction started in 1974

Question 2

the barrier was designed to protect an area of………….km2 which protects £…….. worth of property

Answer 2

125 km2

£200 billion worth in property protected

Question 3

the barrier is made up of………….. gates which weigh ……….. T each

Answer 3

10 steel gates

3,000 tonnes each

Question 4

the Thames Barrier was necessary because:

Answer 4

• after the North Sea Flood of 1953, people thought it was necessary to build a mechanism which would stop storm surges from reaching London and flooding the capital city
• in 1928, a large part of London was flooded as the Thames burst its banks, killing 14 people and putting streets under 1.2m of water

Question 5

the barrier was originally designed to last until ………….. by analysts say it could last until ……….

Answer 5

originally 2030

now 2060-70

Question 6

the barrier cost £………………

Answer 6

£534 million in 1982 (£1.7 billion today)

Question 7

it costs £…………… a year to maintain

Answer 7

£6 million per year

Question 8

challenges faced by the Thames Barrier in the future are:

Answer 8

• Climate change
• Rising sea levels
• Changes in land levels
• The natural ageing of defence infrastructure
• New development in the tidal flood plain

Question 9

in …………….. the Thames Estuary 2100 project was set up

Answer 9

2002
set up as a cross-regional Environment Agency project with the aim of developing a strategic flood risk management plan for London and the Thames estuary through to 2100.

Question 10

one disadvantage is that

Answer 10

it displaces water up to 12 miles upstream, so is a disruption of the natural system upstream