Tampa International Airport installs 9-foot AquaFence flood barrier

TAMPA, Fla. - Tampa International Airport is the first airport in Florida to install an AquaFence system to protect against storm surge.

Tampa International Airport surge protection

The backstory:

Tampa International Airport installed a 9-foot AquaFence system around its airfield electrical vault to prevent storm surge from flooding and shutting down its core operations.

The fence, which cost $1.9 million, surrounds two buildings that house the airport's electrical generation power for airfield lighting, signs, runway operations and other vital controls.

Airport officials say, if this area floods, it would cause a major disruption to the airport's operations.

"The airport functions as an emergency response airport for the community and so, we need to make sure that our airport operations remain open and operational, pre-hurricane as well as post-hurricane," TPA's Director of construction Dan Seeley said.

The airport says the fence can be put up in about eight to 12 hours.

Florida airport flood defense

What they're saying:

Airport officials say that after Hurricanes Helene and Milton in 2024, water came up to one of the runways higher than they'd ever seen before.

The President of AquaFence, Patrik Hansson, says the paneling on each fence is customized for each location. He says the fence can withstand 140 mph winds.

"It actually works like a laptop," Hansson said. "So, the more water we get on the waterside, the more stable the system is. So, kind of the vertical force of the water keeps it in place. But especially here in Florida, a lot of times we see wind before we see water. That's why we have to anchor it before."

Tampa International Airport