After several years and $52 million, the Santa Maria river levee is officially complete.
It was declared unsafe back in 2006, but work didn't actually begin on the levee until 2009.
On Friday, the Army Corp of Engineers celebrated the completion of the six miles of levee it worked to strengthen so it can withstand a major storm.
The majority of funding for the project came from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2007. Rep. Lois Capps, who helped secure that money, spoke at Friday's ceremony.