On one side, Dustin Pasteur, vice president of Facilities and Construction, can be seen inspecting a 10-foot high section of the AquaFence. On the other, floodwaters from Hillsborough Bay lapped against the barrier. The surge from the storm reached seven feet.

Hurricane Helene hit Florida's Big Bend region as a Category 4 hurricane with 140 mph winds. So far, 22 fatalities have been reported. And while there has been widespread flooding, including the heavily populated cities of Tampa and St.