Why we need the scheme and how it works

The River Thames Scheme (RTS) covers part of the largest area of undefended, developed floodplain in England. Communities in the area have suffered major floods in the past.

Just a few years ago in 2014, approximately 1,000 homes were flooded internally from the River Thames. This was far from the first time, with severe flooding also happening in 1947, 1968 and 2003.

It's not just buildings which can be devastated from flooding. Major flooding in this area can cause severe disruption to the local and regional road network. It can impact drinking water supplies the South East and threaten the electricity network.

The estimated economic impact of a major flood is currently around £1 billion but damage could be twice as great by 2055 because of the impact of climate change.

How the scheme can help

The channel sections are new flow routes which run close to the main river.

As water levels in the River Thames rise, the new flood channel sections will operate by gradually carrying the additional flow, so the water in the River Thames stays within its banks. This continues until the new channel sections are 'full' and no more water can be diverted into them.

At this point, the River Thames will start to flood. However, because the channel sections and additional weir gates provide extra space for the water, the risk of flooding from the River Thames will be greatly reduced.

The channel sections will always have some water in them. They will fit into the landscape so that they look like a normal river that has been there for years.

Wherever possible we want the channels to look as much like the natural landscape as possible. In some areas, we may need to use different materials, for example where we need to protect the environment from landfill in the area.

Video: How the RTS flood channel will work