The Story: Protecting Campus from Rising Waters

Ohio State University, one of the most respected institutions in the United States, found itself facing an increasingly urgent challenge. Situated along the banks of a flood-prone river, the university’s 5,000-foot campus riverfront was vulnerable to rising waters from heavy storms. The threat of flooding posed a serious risk to critical infrastructure, including classrooms, research facilities, and student housing.

When the university decided it was time to secure its future against climate-driven storms and rising river levels, they knew they needed a solution that wasn’t just reliable but adaptable and quick to deploy. The university turned to AquaFence to deliver a custom, flexible flood protection system that could be rapidly installed and effectively protect its campus during extreme weather events.

AquaFence rose to the challenge, providing a comprehensive flood defense plan that safeguarded the university’s infrastructure, campus life, and most importantly, its students and staff.

The Challenge: Protecting Critical Infrastructure from Flooding

Ohio State University faced a significant flood risk:

• 5,000+ feet of vulnerable riverbank that could easily be overtaken by rising floodwaters.

• Multiple at-risk buildings including classrooms, research labs, and student housing.

• The need for a scalable, rapid-deployment flood defense solution to ensure the university could react swiftly to changing flood conditions.

With extreme weather becoming more frequent due to climate change, OSU needed a flexible flood mitigation system that could be used year after year. A traditional, permanent solution wasn’t practical—this called for a dynamic, temporary flood barrier system that could be deployed quickly when floods threatened.

The Solution: A Tailored Flood Protection Plan

AquaFence designed a customized flood protection solution that was as flexible as it was reliable. Our approach included:

• Over 5,000 feet of V1200 (4’) FloodWall strategically placed along the riverbank to prevent floodwaters from overtaking the campus.

• Larger flood barriers deployed at vulnerable buildings to reinforce flood protection where it was most needed.

• Rapid deployment capability, ensuring that AquaFence barriers could be set up in hours, giving the university the ability to respond quickly during storms.

• Training and support, with AquaFence engineers working alongside the university’s team to ensure effective installation and ongoing maintenance of the flood barriers.

This custom solution was designed to seamlessly integrate into the university’s existing operations, allowing for fast deployment without disrupting campus life.

The Results: A Resilient Campus Protected from Flooding

The results speak for themselves:

🏛️ Reliable flood protection for Ohio State University’s critical infrastructure, ensuring the safety of students, staff, and facilities during extreme weather events.
⚡ Quick and easy deployment, with the ability to set up flood barriers in hours, making OSU ready for any storm.
🌊 Sustainable and reusable flood defense, providing long-term protection and cost savings, with AquaFence barriers designed for ongoing use.

With AquaFence, Ohio State University is now fully equipped to tackle rising flood risks, protecting its campus and securing its future in the face of climate change and unpredictable storms.