Photos

The control tower on the Cardiff Bay Barrage takes care of all the operation of the Barrage. Controlling the 5 sluice gates and locks and raising the access bridge. The barrage was completed in 1999 and was constructed because the tidal range at Cardiff harbour was up to 14 metres and one of the world's greatest ranges. This leaft the harbour unusable for up to 14 hours a day at low tide. The construction of the barrage created a 500 acre freshwater lake and 8 miles of waterfront which is being developed as a tourist and leisure destination. The construction of the barrage was a huge undertaking and it took 5 years to build.