A giant piece of engineering designed to keep York dry
The Romans, being canny strategists, founded Eboracum because of the site’s natural defences. By building their fortress close to where two rivers met, the Ninth Legion added an extra layer of security. But one of York’s greatest assets can also be its greatest problem. The Ouse and its tributary, the Foss, may have afforded this ancient garrison town a formidable defence, but the confluence leads to regular and sometimes devastating floods.
The earliest records relate to a flood in 1315. Then there was the great flood of 1892, when it rained for 40 hours and the river reached more than 16 feet above normal levels – and the floods of September 1931, when it was possible to swim from the Guildhall to Museum Gardens. But it was the events of 1982 which led to the investment of millions of pounds in modern flood defences. A sudden thaw after a bitter-cold winter snap saw the rivers overflow and much of York cut off from the rest of civilisation. As a result, the Foss Barrier was built, and opened in 1987.
Info
Address Foss Barrier, off Tower Street, York YO10 4BX | Public Transport Best viewed from St George’s Field car park, next door. Closest bus stop: Fishergate | Tip At the southern end of St George’s Field car park you’ll find a lovely riverside walk, with a caravan selling ice cream on warmer days.
Whenever river levels get dangerously high, Environment Agency engineers key in a password and the electronically controlled 16.5-tonne barrier – a turnover lift gate – slides down to block the Foss at its confluence with the Ouse. Then a series of huge pumps removes water from the Foss and diverts it into the Ouse at a rate of up to 30 tonnes per second.
For many years, the Foss Barrier did a fantastic job of protecting York from the worst of the floods. In 2000, 2007, and 2012, it saved hundreds of properties and prevented costly and extensive damage. But on Boxing Day 2015, York was reminded what life was like before the barrier was built. It was put out of action for several days after the river water overwhelmed the pump room and damaged its power supply – and large areas of the city were again left underwater.
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