Tampa Airport Invests in Hurricane Flood-barrier Fencing

No stranger to the calamitous effects of hurricane-related flooding, Florida’s Tampa International Airport (KTPA) is finalizing a nearly $2 million project to protect crucial electrical vault buildings from floodwater during major storms. The system erects a 9-foot-tall temporary perimeter fence that helps keep water out.

Situated next to KTPA’s aircraft rescue and firefighting facility near the center of the field, the structures house the airfield’s lighting system. They are susceptible to water damage that could render the airport unavailable for nighttime disaster relief operations and result in costly repairs.

The flood-protection system includes the AquaFence barrier, which consists of 150 separate panels made of steel, aluminum, and laminated plywood, with UV-resistant and waterproof plastic membranes and gaskets that seal water out; a foundation of anchors embedded in the concrete for installation of the fence in advance of severe weather; and electrical and drainage improvements. The AquaFence—which will stay in storage until needed—is intended to insulate against storm surge, but newly installed pumps will divert heavy rainfall out of the protected area. 

While this year’s hurricane season has broken an 85-year-old record for the longest span without a hurricane on the U.S. East Coast, KTPA said it’s only a matter of time before the new system will need to be used.