THAMES BARRIER

The Muru's and the Kennedy's visited the Thames Barrier. Built across a 523 metre wide stretch of the river, the barrier divides the river into six navigable and four smaller non-navigable channels between nine large concrete piers. All the gates are made of steel. The four large central gates are 61 metres long, 10.5 metres high (above local ground level) and weigh 1,500 tonnes; the outer two gates are 31.5 metres. Additionally, four radial gates by the riverbanks can be lowered. These gate openings, unlike the main six, are non-navigable. The gates are normally left open to allow ships to pass through, but can be rotated closed to stop water travelling up the Thames estuary. Constructed between 1974 and 1984 at Woolwich Reach, London. It is the world's second largest movable flood barrier (the largest is the Oosterscheldekering in The Netherlands).