La Isithiyo seThames Ungumgoqo wesibili wezikhukhula ezihamba phambili emhlabeni (ngemuva kwe-Oosterscheldekering eNetherlands) futhi utholakala ezansi nomfula ukusuka enkabeni ye London.
Inhloso yawo ukuvimbela izikhukhula ekugcineni zedolobha ngamagagasi aphakeme kakhulu nezikhukhula ezivela olwandle. Kumele iphakanyiswe (ivaliwe) kuphela kumaza aphezulu, lapho kuncipha kunganciphisa ukukhulula amanzi aqoqeka ngemuva kwawo.
Ibhange lalo lisenyakatho yeSilvertown eLondon Borough yaseNewham futhi ibhange laseningizimu lisendaweni yaseNew Charlton eCharlton eRoyal Borough yaseGreenwich. Umbiko kaSir Hermann Bondi oLwandle oluseNyakatho, izikhukhula zango-1953 ezithinta izingxenye zomfula iThames nezingxenye zaseLondon zazibalulekile ekwakhiweni kwalezi zithiyo.
Yazi ukuthi iLondon isengozini yezikhukhula. Igagasi elikhuphukayo lihanjiswe oLwandle OluseNyakatho, oluncipha lubheke ngase-English Channel efinyelela emfuleni iThames. Uma isivunguvungu sihlangana nemisinga yasentwasahlobo, amazinga aphezulu amanzi ayingozi angenzeka emfuleni iThames. Lesi simo sihlanganiswe nemisinga esezansi eThames sinikeza izimbangela zemisebenzi yokuvikela izikhukhula.
Indaba ithi abantu abayi-14 bafa kusikhukhula iThames ngo-1928, bese kuthi abanye abantu abangama-307 bashone e-United Kingdom eNorth Sea ezikhukhuleni zango-1953.
IThames Barrier, enqamula emfuleni ngaseWoolwich empumalanga yeDolobha laseLondon, yavulwa ngoMeyi 8, 1984. Lo msebenzi wobuciko wobuciko; umgoqo wesikhukhula omkhulu kunawo wonke emhlabeni. Izinsika eziyisishiyagalolunye zacwiliswa embhedeni womfula futhi phakathi kwazo kunamasango ensimbi ayi-10. Izinqama ezinamandla eziphakamisa amanzi zithatha imizuzu engama-30 ukuhambisa iminyango endaweni efanele.
Ukuvakashelwa kwesithiyo sobukhosi akuvunyelwe, kepha kunemibono emihle yokuhamba emfuleni. Esikhungweni sezivakashi kunohlelo lomsindo namavidiyo oluthakazelisa kakhulu ekwakhiweni nasekusebenzeni kweThames Barrier.