Holding back the tide
Tees Barrage
Opened in 1995 the Tees Barrage is one of the largest civil engineering projects ever undertaken in the UK. It holds back the upstream water creating an 11 mile stretch of clean non-tidal water.
On many other rivers barrages have been built to protect the riverside towns from flooding. However, the Tees Barrage prevents polluted waters from Teessides's chemical industry from flowing upstream at high tide.
It was a mammoth civil engineering project and the final design, by The Napper Partnership, contains 670 tonnes of steel, standing on a concrete base 5m thick, 70m wide and 32m long. The flow of water is controlled by 4 50 tonne hydraulic gates.
Thanks to the barrage the Tees is now a Grade A river with an 11 mile stretch of clean water held at high tide level. Upstream there are riverside walks and wildlife conservation areas. The project also included regeneration of 100ha of derelict land surrouding the barrage to create a waterside development including watersports, a campsite and other leisure facilities. They even hold concerts at the barrage - visit British Waterways for more details.
Submitted by: Sarah McLusky, 09 October 2003
