Sand and sandbags are free and available at the following locations:
| Cherryville | Cherryville Community Hall, 158 N Fork Rd, Cherryville |
| Area B & C | Beside the BX-Swan Lake Fire Hall in the parking lot at the BX Community Park, 5764 Silver Star Rd |
| Enderby | City of Enderby Public Works Department, 2308 McGowan Street Enderby |
| Lumby | Parking lot across the street from the curling rink, Near 2270 Shields Ave., Lumby |
| Vernon | City of Vernon Public Works Yard, 1900-48 Ave., Vernon. Access at the back gate on Pleasant Valley Rd. |
| Mara Lake | Mara Lake Community Hall, 11 Coell Jones Road, Mara |
| Mara Lake | At the entrance of the Crystal Sands Estates, 8192 BC-97A, Mara |
On average, it takes two people about 1 hour to fill and place 100 sandbags, which is enough for a wall one foot high and twenty feet long. These are self-serve venues. Please contact your neighbours, family, and friends if you need assistance filling and placing sandbags.
The Regional District of North Okanagan advises anyone working near creeks, streams and rivers to use extreme caution and safety measures. Fast-moving water may cause erosion and bank instability.
DYI Sandbag Filling Tool How to build a sandbag dike How to Dispose of Used Sandbags
Hints to avoid injury
- Use a shovel best for shovelling sand: up to 3kg., triangular or round blade, handles to keep the back and wrist straighter.
- Work in pairs. Have one person hold the bag while the other shovels in the fill. Alternate tasks to avoid muscle fatigue.
- The person holding the bag should stand with feet shoulder-width apart with knees slightly bent.
- Use safety goggles and gloves.
- Consider constructing a bag-holding rack.
- Fill bags to 1/3 to 1/2 full.
- Carry the bags close to your body and avoid twisting.