The future of Teddington Lock

The weir at Teddington Lock 

There are currently two proposed plans for works at Teddington, which would affect our education programmes based at Teddington Lock. Staff and volunteers attended a recent meeting at The Lensbury organised by the Teddington Society to get more information on these plans.

Thames Water Teddington Direct River Abstraction  

Firstly, and probably most controversially, is the Thames Water’s Teddington Direct River Abstraction (TDRA). Water would be removed from the Thames at Teddington to be cleaned and filtered for drinking. Treated sewage from Mogden Works water treatment facility would then be released into the Thames at Teddington, to replace the water that was abstracted. 

Thames Water have said that this is the best solution they can find for meeting the increasing demands for water predicted for the growing population. 

Environmental concerns 

There are concerns that the quality of the treated sewage and its constituent chemicals and bacteria will have a negative impact on local wildlife, and the overall health of the river at Teddington and downstream. If you’ve read our blog post Are There Sharks in The Thames, you’ll know that the Thames is home to the critically endangered European Eel. 

The European eel is one of several endangered species that call the River Thames home.  

The construction of the required infrastructure on Ham Lands could also result in noise and water pollution, as well as creating a visual eyesore on one of London’s more natural riverbanks. 

RTBP’s education programmes focus on promoting knowledge about the Thames and supporting children to become custodians of the river. The majority of children believe that the water quality at Teddington Lock is poor, despite in actuality it being relatively healthy. It remains to be seen how the addition of treated sewage along with other potential pollution will affect their opinions. 

Find out more and contribute to the consultation 

The scheme is currently in the consultation process. If you would like to read more information and/or respond the links are below. 

Plans – Teddington Direct River Abstraction (TDRA) – Thames Water Strategic Resource Options 

Consultation –TDRA Consultation Start Page 

Drought and flood plans discussion 

In The Lensbury’s conference room, a plan to prepare for droughts from Thames Water was juxtaposed with the Environment Agency’s flood alleviation scheme, otherwise known as the River Thames Scheme (RTS), which would also result in construction work at Teddington. 

The catchment area for the River Thames covers a huge swathe of Southern England, and heavy rainfall in previous years has caused disastrous flooding in Staines and Chertsey.  

The Thames’ catchment area 

To reduce the risk of further flooding, the Environment Agency are proposing to create additional channels which would increase the capacity of the Thames. The man-made channels would be opened during periods of high water flow and closed off when not required, using gates that would be managed in a similar way to weir gates. 

Downstream of the proposed new channels, the capacity of the last 3 weirs (Sunbury, Molesey and Teddington) would be increased to reduce the possibility of bottle-necking water.  

Map of proposed channels for the River Thames Scheme for flood alleviation 

How will this affect the river flow 

Concerns were raised about the speed that flood waters would reach Teddington via the proposed channels, as the new channels would cut off meanders and create a slightly more direct route downriver. 

There were also questions about how the lakes that will be joined to the Thames in the new channels could be protected from pollution. Sewage in the Thames is a hot topic, and many people seemed dissatisfied with the proposal to allow flood water to flow into, and through, the existing lakes. 

The extension of Teddington weir (already the largest weir on the Thames), would involve excavating part of the island connecting the weir and the lock. This would be a lengthy process, and may affect mooring sites in the lock cut.  

Possible implications for School on the River 

During our School on the River sessions at Teddington, Thames Venturer is moored next to the bridge in the lock cut, where the gangway can easily connect with the towpath, ensuring suitable access for those with mobility issues. The proposed works may affect our ability to provide a fully accessible service. 

Find out more about the scheme 

Plans for the proposed works are available here: About the scheme | River Thames Scheme 

The River Thames Boat Project’s mission is to improve access to The Thames, for. We advocate for a clean and healthy river environment to provide health, wellbeing, and educational benefits. We hope that our clients will continue to access the Thames, and benefit from it, without disruption.