Marina Barrage
The Marina Barrage (Big Dam) is a tidal and flood control barrier that will be constructed across the mouth of the Marina channel to the tune of $226 million. When it is ready by 2008, it will turn the waters of the Marina basin into an inland reservoir, Marina Bay will have a stabilised water level with no tidal fluctuations making it suitable for staging water-based events and performances and international water-sport competitions as well as recreational activities, including pleasure boating, canoeing, kayaking, sailing, water skiing and wind surfing, in addition to the water taxis and pleasure cruises that ply the area today. The 
scheme is unique in that it is designed to achieve three aims: to act as a tidal barrier for flood control, to create a new reservoir to augment our water supply and to maintain a new body of freshwater at constant level in the heart of the city as a major lifestyle attraction. The Marina Barrage will enhance Singapore's water supply
Barrage (dam) is a barrier, fitted with gates, constructed across a river to raise the water level for navigation or diversion of water into canals for irrigation and other uses. A barrage can provide a roadway across a river. Barrages are usually made of concrete and the gates are made of steel. Several forms of gates can be used. The simplest form is a vertical lift gate that, sliding or rolling against guides, can be raised to allow water to flow underneath. Radial or tainted gates are similar in principle but are curved in vertical section better to resist water pressure on the upstream side. Thus a barrage is a device to regulate river flow by suitable operation of its gates. The gates can be opened during high floods to release excess water.
The Singapore Marina Barrage will comprise of nine numbers of 26.8-metres-long hydraulically operated steel gates, will be built across the 350m wide Marina Channel to keep out sea water. Under normal conditions, the steel gates will remain closed to isolate the reservoir from the sea. During heavy rain, the steel gates will open in harmony to release excess stormwater to the sea when the tide is low. However, when it is not possible to do so during high tide, an enormous pumping station capable of pumping up to 280 cubic metres per second will pump out the excess stormwater into the sea.
The Marina Barrage Project has awarded the contract to build the marina barrage and reservoir to Koh Brothers Building & Civil Engineering Contractor Pte Ltd at a cost of $226 million. The tender to build the Marina Barrage attracted a total of 48 bids from nine bidders. Construction is expected to begin by 2005.
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A Dam Vision: mooted in 1987 by then Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew. The Marina Reservoir will be the largest in Singapore which will store 10% of current water demand in Singapore. With a water catchment area of 10,000 hectares which covers about one sixth of Singapore.
Updated On: 05.03.23