Barking Creek facts for kids
Barking Creek is a waterway in London, England. It connects the River Roding to the mighty River Thames. This creek is "tidal," which means its water level changes with the ocean's tides, just like a beach at high and low tide.
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What is Barking Creek?
Barking Creek is a vital part of the waterways around Barking. The water in the creek stays at a certain level thanks to something called the Barking Barrage. This barrage acts like a special gate or small dam. It helps keep enough water in the creek for boats and wildlife, even when the tide is low.
A Busy Past: Fishing and Ice
Long ago, in the 1850s, Barking Creek was a very busy place. It was home to the biggest fishing fleet in all of England! Imagine hundreds of fishing boats bringing in their catch. To keep the fish fresh, there was a special building called an icehouse nearby. Here, fish were stored on ice before being sent to the big markets in London. Today, you can still see some houseboats floating on the creek. The old village of Creekmouth is also very close by.
The Barking Creek Barrier
To protect the area from floods, a huge structure called the Barking Creek Barrier was built. This barrier is a special type of tidal flood barrier. It was finished in 1983 and is an important part of London's flood defence system.
How the Barrier Works
The Barking Creek Barrier works together with the much larger Thames Barrier. When there's a risk of flooding, the Barking Creek Barrier closes its gates. It usually closes before the main Thames Barrier and opens after it. This helps keep the water from the Thames from flowing into Barking Creek and flooding the land. The barrier is quite big, measuring 38 metres (about 125 feet) wide. It has two tall towers, each 40 metres (about 131 feet) high. These towers lift the barrier gates up high, allowing boats to pass through when the tide is high enough.
