Russia Resurrects Large Floodgate To Protect St. Petersburg
Floods strike the city twice a year on average. A 25.4-kilometer embankment across Neva Bay, featuring some of the worlds largest horizontal sector gates, was designed in the 1970s, started in the 1980s but halted in 1987 for environmental and financial reasons as the Communist regime started to crumble.
Some 30 foreign engineers plus more locals are now beginning to review construction done so far and designs for remaining work. Site work could begin next year, and major elements will start in 2005, says David Birch, a water sector director at U.K.-based Halcrow Group, leader of the engineering team. Most of the design remains good, but dated specifications for elecrical and mechanical equipment need to be updated, he adds.