New Thames Barrier

The Environment Agency has set out proposals to protect London from flooding for the next 100 years, including plans for a new flood barrier across the Thames from 2075.

The floods defence agency believes that the existing Thames Barrier will continue to provide protection to London until at least 2070, 40 years longer than its intended design life. When designed in the early 1970s the barrier’s design life was 60 years - taking it to 2030.

But the latest predictions on sea-level rise coupled with resilience in the original design means the Agency believes the barrier can be pushed much further.

The findings are the result of a six-year investigation led by the Environment Agency into the future of flood risk management within the Thames estuary. A consultation on the Thames Estuary Plan – or TE2100 – unveils the recommended options to manage the increasing threat of tidal flooding for London and the Thames estuary through to the year 2100.

The plan sets out what will be required to manage tidal flood risk, and where and when it will be required, based upon the effects of climate change. This information is included in local actions plans intended for all the strategic organisations involved in managing flood risk.

Based on the latest science on climate change the project recommends maintaining and upgrading the current flood defence system through to around 2070, when either the current Thames Barrier will have to be modified or a new barrier will need to be built. A decision will not be required on this until the middle of the century.

Environment Agency chief executive Paul Leinster said the findings were significant. “The report gives confidence to more than one and a quarter million people living and working in the estuary floodplain that the risk is manageable.

“Rigorous study and scientific research into the estuary, the defences, climate change and our options for the future, have culminated in a plan that will safeguard the Thames estuary, and the people, buildings and natural habitats that make this area so unique.

“This plan has looked at the worst case scenario for climate change. If over time sea levels are found to be rising faster then expected then we are already prepared and have identified the necessary solutions.”

The next 100 years have been broken down into three phases. Each phase contains recommendations on what actions the Environment Agency and other organisations will need to take to manage increasing flood risk across the estuary. The plan also includes recommendations for the creation of new inter-tidal habitat, vital to the estuary ecology, that will be lost through sea level rise.

TE2100 proposals:

First 25 Years (2010 – 2035):

Continue to maintain the current flood defence system including planned improvements.
Ensure effective floodplain management (emergency and spatial planning) is in place across the estuary.
Safeguard areas that will be required for future changes to the flood defences.
Monitor change indicators including sea level rise and climate change (to continue through to end of century) and review plan as required.
Commence work to create new intertidal habitat.

Second 35 Years (2035 – 2070):

Replace and upgrade the current network of defences upstream and downstream of the Thames Barrier.
Continue habitat creation schemes.
Make final decision on building new Barrier at Long Reach or other end of the century option (based upon monitored climate change and sea level rise and any modification to Climate change predictions), and starting the planning for that.
Continue monitoring sea level rise and climate change

Final 30 Years (2070 – 2100):

Implement agreed end of century option (see 2035-2070) which current appraisal indicates as the construction of a new Thames Barrier at Long Reach to be operational by ~ 2075.
Further raising and adaptation of defences where required to keep new Barrier closures to within operational constraints.

A three month consultation process in now underway to help finalise the plan before it is submitted to the Government early next year.

New Thames Barrier proposed for Dartford

TE2100 proposals: