Sandbagging General Information
Construct the sandbag dike on high ground, as close as possible to your home or building. By being closer to your home or building, fewer bags will be needed, and the sandbag dike will be less exposed to the stream.
- Sandbagging should also focus along existing flood works or any low spots along dikes for maximum protection.
- Dig a trench one bag in depth and two bags wide as a foundation for the dike structure.
- To be effective, a dike must be three times as wide at its base as it is high.
- Sandbags should be turned right side out and filled half full. They need not be tied shut, just laid overlapping each other.
- The open ends of the sandbags should be facing upstream and/or uphill so that the moving water will not remove the sand from the bags as readily.
- Alternate direction of sandbags with bottom layer, i.e. bottom layer lengthwise with dike, next layer crosswise.
- As individual bags are put in place, walk on bags to tamp them into place to ensure maximum strength. Take care to avoid puncturing the bags.
- The butt ends of the bags should be placed facing the stream, for rows that are perpendicular to the stream.
- Each successive layer should be set back one-half sandbag width on both sides in each additional layer so a completed dike has a triangular cross-section.
- The number of sandbags needed to protect a home or building varies depending on the local topography and the anticipated depth of water.
Click here for information on sandbagging.
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