Tees Barrage

Infobox Bridge
bridge_name = Tees Barrage

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image_width = 250
caption = Tees Barrage
official_name = Tees Barrage
carries = Motor vehicles (Tees Barrage Way)
crosses = River Tees
locale = Stockton-on-Tees, England
maint = British Waterways
id =
designer = Ove Arup and The Napper Partnership
Tarmac Construction
design = arched viaduct
material = concrete, welded tubular steel
spans = 8
pierswater = 3
mainspan = 17.5 m
length = 160 m
width =
height =
load =
clearance =
below = 5 m
traffic = very light
begin = November 4 1991
complete = 1995
open = April 22 1995
closed =
toll =
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The Tees Barrage is a barrage across the River Tees in the borough of Stockton-on-Tees in North East of England used to control the flow of the river, preventing flooding and the effect of tidal change. Opened in 1995, it was built by Tarmac Construction for the Teesside Development Corporation but it is now managed by British Waterways.

Tidal Turbine Test Facility

On 8 June 2007 a new facility was opened for testing prototype marine current turbines and other turbine devices. This facility is operated and funded by the New and Renewable Energy Centre - NaREC. It uses the hydraulic head made by the barge lock to release water through sluices at a controlled velocity to create a simulation of steady ocean current conditions downstream of the lock.

The first turbine to be tested at this site was a surface-piercing horizontal axis turbine developed by offshore consultancy Overberg Ltd based in North Shields. The test was largely a success and further devices are booked including a Rugged Renewables Savonius rotor that is to be deployed as a building-mounted turbine. The development of this facility completes NaREC's portfolio of test facilities. The Blyth centre for excellence boasts facilities for testing the use of renewable energy resources such as solar PV, wind, wave and tidal and has been instrumental in the development of the UK renewables sector.

Whitewater course

As part of the project, an artificial whitewater course was created that has since hosted many significant watersport competitions.

External links

* [http://www.stockton.gov.uk/citizenservices/leisureandents/visit/stocktonattractions/TeesBarrage/ Details on Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council website]
* [http://www.waterscape.com/in-your-area/durham/places-to-go/484/tees-barrage Details at Waterscape.com]
* [http://www.narec.co.uk/ NaREC website]
* [http://www.narec.co.uk/main/st599 NaREC Large-Scale turbine testing capabilities]
* [http://icnewcastle.icnetwork.co.uk/thejournal/regional/tm_method=full%26objectid=19270681%26siteid=50081-name_page.html#story_continue Newcastle Chronicle article on the opening of the test site]

Crossings navbox
structure = Crossings
place = River Tees
bridge = Tees Barrage
upstream = Princess of Wales Bridge
(Diana Bridge)
downstream = A19 Tees Viaduct
(Tees Flyover)