01 · The problem
What is happening
London's tidal Thames is exposed to storm surges from the North Sea, as the deadly 1953 North Sea flood showed. The Thames Barrier, operational since 1982, can close to protect the city. The Environment Agency's Thames Estuary 2100 plan sets out how flood defences will be maintained, raised and eventually replaced as sea levels rise, using an adaptive pathways approach that can respond to how quickly sea levels actually rise.
Moderate severity. Material effects on people or ecosystems; actively managed. Severity is descriptive editorial metadata summarising documented effects. It is not a measured index or a score.
02 · Causes
Why it is happening
- 01
North Sea storm surges
Low pressure and strong winds push water up the estuary.
- 02
Sea level rise
Rising seas increase the frequency of barrier closures.
- 03
Land subsidence in south-east England
Slow land sinking increases relative sea level.
03 · Impacts
Who and what it affects
- 01
Risk to people and property
Large numbers of homes and critical infrastructure lie in the tidal floodplain.
- 02
Rising maintenance and upgrade costs
Defences must be raised over time.
04 · Solutions
Documented approaches
Thames Barrier
A movable barrier that closes during high surge tides.
Expected effectProtects central London from tidal flooding.
Thames Estuary 2100
An adaptive, long-term flood risk management plan.
Expected effectAllows investment to follow observed sea level change.
Riverside defence raising
Raising walls and embankments as part of redevelopment.
Expected effectMaintains the standard of protection.
05 · Key indicators
What can be measured
No reliable quantitative indicator is included for this issue. TerraLens shows figures only where a credible source supports them — consult the sources below for current data.
06 · Sources
Where this comes from
- [1]The Thames BarrierUK Environment Agencygov.uk(opens in a new tab)
- [2]Thames Estuary 2100UK Environment Agencygov.uk(opens in a new tab)
Links open the publishing organisation's site. Some point to the publisher's main page, where the named report or dataset can be found.