Station 4 Dam

What our feelings were when we walk along the dam to the other side of the bank.

The dam was very long and spacious. The surroundings were filled with water, ships and land built with high skyscrappers, highways and other structure.
It must have also taken many years to complete the barrage and dam, including much manpower and time. It felt like a thousand miles! Just like our song! :D

A method that we can use to measure the length of the dam without the use of any tools or equipment.

Using our steps, walking from the start all the way to the end of the dam.

What happens if there are a sudden increase in the water levels on either side of the dam?

Don't worry! Water will be pumped out through the pumps in the barrage then back into the sea.

What the purpose of the dam is.
To control flooding. To separate the fresh water from the sea water. The gates of the dam stops the water from entering singapore waters and land . Water is seperated by the gates below the dam.

What we understand by the term 'reservior'.

A reservior is a place where fresh water is stored and providing us with the drinking water that have gone through reverse osmosis.

Do we think the barrage is a 'reservior'?

Yes, of course! Fresh water is stored in the barrage. Fresh water is stored in the barrage after reverse osmosis.

Our Group Reflections...

This learning journey has allowed us to learn many things. For example learning about how the barrage was made and how the barrage can stop flooding in low lying areas.

This trip was memorable and had many learning features.

In the barrage, we learnt more about Singapore past floods and how this barrage can change everything.

This also made us know about the water treaty with Malaysia that will end soon and how this barrage can make us independent, not relying on others (Malaysia) to keep giving us resources (water).

This barrage has made us know the importance of fresh water supply.

AND!!

We ourselves will try and continue to save water for the next generation! :D

Problems our group faced:

1. We were not able to meet up to do the blog.
2. We didn't really discuss much about it.
3. We did not really discuss what our objectives and roles were properly.
   
4. We started out everything almost last minute.
5. Distributing roles each member should have contributed.

What we should continue to do:

1. Continue to take the initiative to do the blog e.g making the blog & telling others.

What each of us did:

Amanda Tio- leader- supervised on the project and helped out with the blog.

Liu Yi Yao- member- took photos and helped with the blog.

Angeline Teo- member- created the blog, edited spelling and grammar errors and designed blog.

Durrani Shamim- member- took photos and helped out with the blog.

Ng Yek Khee- member- helped out with the creation of blog and did posts.

How is the Marina barrage important or significant to Singapore's Development you ask?

Our Answer...

Simple! It is very important as the barrage helps to stop flooding in the low lying area. The Marina barrage also gives Singapore a supply fresh water (acting like a reservoir). Why is this important?

Its gives singapore a continual supply of fresh water on our own even when Malaysia has terminated our treaty to get water from them.

Isn't that great?!

Map of Marina Barrage

Station 3 Platform

Some of the environmental issues that may arise :

1. Pollution from nearby construction sites
2. Littering

How the environmental issues could affect us:

The water becomes contaminated and is harder to go through the process of reverse osmosis and filtration to purify the water. Therefore, there may be a lack of drinking supply.

Ways that we can prevent this to happen:

• Issue fines for littering
• Advertise on how to keep Singapore clean
• Moving construction to another place

Some reasons why the Barrage is built at it current location:

• Mouth of most rivers
• Discharges excess water from the rivers into the sea
• Able to control floods

Station 2 Gallery Walk

The whole gallery has 6 parts.

1. Here, it showcases the environmental challenges of today.
2. Here recounts the clean up of singapore and kallang rivers.
3. Here features the active, beautiful, clean water programme, launched by PUB in 2007.
4. The construction and operation could be seen here.
5. Showcasing the careful planning of Singapore with its limited land area to its maximum potential.
6. Displays an unwavering commitment from our 3Ps , people, private and public, through photographs.
   
   Some of the problems or challenges that Singapore faces during the development over the years.

• Congesting and neglect turned the rivers into sewers and took a huge programme to clean and return them to their original and healthy state.
• Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew with the goverment agencies, lead a massive 10 year clean up of the rivers. All the hawkers, squatters and pollutive industries were relocated.

• Floods in Singapore.
• More demands of water for growing population.

When classifying the problems into categories. E.g Social, Physical, Environmental and economic problems.

Social - NIL

Physical - Singapore and Kallang rivers led to a 10 year clean up.

Environmental - Floods in Singapore.

Economic problems - Demand of water for growing population.

Problems and challenges that the Barrage helped to solve:

1. A source of water supply
2. A mean of flood control
3. Lifestyle destination
4. Allowing Singapore to have fresh water
5. Promotes Economic development in the region
6. Promotes recreational venues

How the Barrage controls flooding.

The barrage is a dam that acts as a physical barrier to separate the reservior from the sea. The gates of the barrage will remain in an upright position to isolate the reservior from the sea.

During heavy rains that coincide with low tide, the gates will be lowered, releasing excess storm water back to the sea.

During heavy rain with high tide, the gates will remain up, however, water will be pumped out through pipes.

With the barrage, low lying areas in the city will no longer be prone to flooding.

Nearly two decades ago, our Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew had a vision. A vision to envisaged damming the mouth of the Marina Channel to create a freshwater reservoir.

The Marina Barrage is a dam built across the 350-metre wide Marina Channel to keep out seawater. This particular dam became Singapore's first reservoir in the city and 15th reservoir. Marina Reservoir, combined with the future Punggol and Serangoon reservoirs, it would increase Singapore’s water catchment areas from half to two-thirds of Singapore’s land areas.

Flood Control

The Marina Barrage is part of a comprehensive flood control scheme to control flooding at low-lying areas in the city such as Chinatown, Boat Quay, Jalan Besar and Geylang.

During heavy rains, the nine crest gates at the dam would be activated to release excess storm water into the sea when the tide is low.

In the case of high tide, giant pumps which are capable of pumping an Olympics-size swimming pool per minute will drain excess storm water into the sea.