Thames Barrier - a grand structure that protects London from flooding. In XX century, flooding human victims fell upon the British capital twice, in 1928 and 1953. The British decided to tolerate violence of the elements is no longer possible.

For centuries, London was vulnerable to flooding that occurred because of the storm surge from the North Sea. In such cases, the sea tide is moving, the pressure is growing in the English Channel, and then - in the mouth of the Thames. Spring surge may coincide with the seasonal floods, and this certainly means flooding London.

After the flood of 1953, which killed 307 people, the company has agreed with the necessity of a protective barrier. At risk were 340 square kilometers of land with half a million buildings, almost a hundred railway stations. Here resided 1, 25 million people. Possible damage caused by catastrophic flooding was estimated at a monstrous amount of 30 billion pounds.

In 1972 it was decided to build the barrier. His proposed concept engineer Reginald Charles Draper. More in 1950, eighteen young men, he built a working model, which uses the principle of ordinary brass gas valve. Testing has proven the reliability and efficiency of the design.

May 8, 1984 Queen Elizabeth II officially opened the Thames Barrier. It covers the river width 520 meters: futuristic gleaming buildings, each as tall as a five-story house, divided into four flow length of 61 meters and two navigable span of 30 meters. These openings installed steel rotary segments at the usual time lying on the bottom of the river. If necessary, the segments weighing 3,700 tons simultaneously rotated 90 degrees, reliably blocking the flow.

Time has shown that the barrier is vital to London: the frequency of floods is increasing all the time. In the first five years of construction was used only four times. But in 2001 he had to lift 15 times, in 2003 - 19 times, in 2007 - 11. It is estimated that by 2050 the protective structure will consist of up to 75 times per year.

See the barrier come the crowds. In the small center of education and information show a working model of the structure. At a certain bit of luck, you can see the work and of the barrier - it is checked once a month.

On the north bank of the River Thames adjacent to the construction of the Thames Barrier Park - a great example of the renovation of the ruined areas. Previously here at the Royal Docks, it was located "dirty" production of sleepers and telegraph poles. In 1994, adopted a plan to transform the territory of one of the best green spaces in London, announced an international competition. And in 2000 there opened a magnificent park with fountains, gardens, trees and flower meadows.