Introduction:
● Located in Windsor-Eton area
● Relief channel for the River Thames was opened in 2002
○ 11.7 km long, 50 m wide
○ Funded by Environmental Agency (EA)
○ UK’s largest artificial river but designed to look like natural river
○ Diverts water from the River Thames when the discharge is high to reduce flood risk
● 5 weirs (large dams)
Why the scheme was needed:
● Thames floodplain → low-lying and prone to flooding
● Floodplain contains royal settlements and Eton school → attracts many visitors
● Impermeable surfaces of built up areas → results in flooding
● High value properties in danger of flooding (eg/ Windsor Castle) → CBA (costs < benefits)
○ Cost-benefit analysis (CBA) = process used by businesses/governments in which the sum of costs
of the action is subtracted from the sum of the economic benefits
Issues of the scheme: