What Ian, Helene and Milton did in Lee County
The National Hurricane Center reports 10 to 15 feet of water above ground on Fort Myers Beach during Hurricane Ian (2022), 6 to 9 feet in Pine Island and Cape Coral at the mouth of the Caloosahatchee River, and 5 to 8 feet up the river in Fort Myers. The NOS tide gauge near downtown Fort Myers peaked at 7.26 feet above the normal high-tide line in Ian, then 5.12 feet in Helene and 5.27 feet in Milton two weeks later (2024); a USGS sensor at Punta Rassa recorded 8.37 feet above high tide in Ian.
- Fort Myers Beach: 10–15 ft above ground in Ian (NHC)
- Pine Island and Cape Coral: 6–9 ft above ground in Ian (NHC)
- Fort Myers gauge: 7.26 ft in Ian; 5.12 ft in Helene; 5.27 ft in Milton
- Punta Rassa sensor: 8.37 ft above high tide in Ian
Source: NHC Tropical Cyclone Reports: Ian, Helene, Milton
The BarrierX® system we install in Lee County
Rubicon installs BarrierX® removable aluminum plank barriers: side posts are anchored beside each opening once, and the planks drop into them when a storm is forecast. Height is chosen per opening in 8-inch steps.
- Heights from 25 in (3 planks) to 73 in (9 planks)
- 6063-T6 aluminum; independent tensile test of a plank: 31.0 ksi yield vs the 25.0 ksi ASTM B221 T6 minimum
- Closed-cell EPDM seals; stainless steel sleeve anchors into masonry
- Planks weigh 2.15 lb per linear foot (a 10-ft plank is about 21.5 lb)
Source: BarrierX® specification and test results
Lee County properties: what we measure
Lee County mixes Cape Coral canal lots, Fort Myers riverfront and older neighborhoods, barrier-island homes on Sanibel and Fort Myers Beach, and newer inland communities. Rubicon measures each garage, door and slider, then checks the slab, threshold and wall material at every post location before recommending a height.
Getting Rubicon out to Lee County
Rubicon replies to inquiries within an hour and can schedule an emergency appointment within 24 hours. Every system is measured on site first, then quoted per opening. Rubicon is based at 3729 Chiquita Blvd S, Cape Coral, FL 33914 and serves Cape Coral, Fort Myers, Bonita Springs, Sanibel, Fort Myers Beach and the rest of Lee County. Call 239-330-8888.
- On-site measurement before any quote
- Install, labeled storage and a deployment walkthrough
- Quoted per opening, not per web price list
What Rubicon customers say
5.0 on Google from 8 reviews (as of October 2026). Excerpts from Rubicon’s Google reviews across Southwest Florida (not necessarily from this city):
- “Great service and prompt response.”
- “Great experience and a great result!”
- “An awesome product very well engineered… The flood barrier was delivered & installed ahead of schedule.”
Source: Rubicon Flood Control on Google
Official local flood information
Lee County publishes its Floodplain Management program, flood maps, elevation guidance and permit contacts for property owners.
Source: Lee County — Floodplain Management
What a flood barrier can and can’t do
A barrier closes a measured opening — a garage, door or slider — up to its rated height. It does not stop water coming up through floor drains, through walls or over the top, and it doesn’t replace evacuation orders or elevation requirements in Lee County. Barrier islands and beach zones can see surge well above any practical barrier height.
