With the sea levels rising and coastal storms that keep coming, Boston's waterfront is preparing for another round of flooding. However, some property owners are taking it a step further than sandbags, using a defense known as AquaFence.
The portable flood barrier was on display Thursday outside Boston Properties' Atlantic Wharf Tower. The four-foot-high panels are stored when they are not needed, but can go up in a matter of hours. While they have tested the system at Atlantic Wharf in the past, Friday's storm will be the first time it's deployed in anticipation of major coastal flooding.
Certain bricks are removed to help secure the barriers to the ground so when the water rises, it only strengthens the panels on the fence. The fence is sealed off at the last minute before a storm, but employees can still enter and exit the building with temporary walkways to cross over it.
Nasser Brahim, a senior climate change planner with Kleinfelder, works with several clients who use the product.
"It's the new normal," Brahim said. "A lot of buildings in the Seaport are doing it, not just building owners, infrastructure owners are also doing it.
Massport was installing AquaFence to protect their utilities at Fish Pier Thursday. AquaFence says they currently have 10 clients in the Boston area, with 10 more who are considering it.
