SANDBAGGING FOR FLOOD CONTROL It is common knowledge that sandbags can be used to prevent flooding. This fact sheet will help to identify the correct way to fill and lay sandbags. What is not common knowledge is the correct way to fill and lay sandbags. Regular sandbags for this purpose are a specific size, 13” by 34”. The advantages of this size bag as opposed to a turnip or potato sack are that the sandbag is smaller, thus economizing on sand, and is lighter in weight and easier to put in place. Rules for Sandbagging: 1. Use proper sized sandbags. Either stockpile bags or determine where a ready supply is available. (NOTE: Sandbags can be obtained from your municipal office or from the Essex Region Conservation Authority office for a nominal fee.) 2. Fill the bag 2/3rds full. (Roughly 24”). Do not tie. 3. Fold the top of the bag over loosely to allow sand to settle for best results. 4. Lay the top of the bag against the bottom of the previously laid bag. 5. A plastic membrane, if desired, can be used in conjunction with the sandbags to reduce leakage. 6. If time permits, a more efficient result can be achieved by tapping the bags flat after laying. This will prevent holes between bags and prepare a flat surface for the next row of bags. 7. The subsequent layers of bags should be staggered and stacked like bricks so that each row will cover the joint between the bags below. Bags should be lapped and well tamped into place. 8. Do not use sandbags as an erosion protection system or where bags are subject to direct wave action. If this cannot be avoided, then support the sandbags against a structure. 9. If possible, do not place bags or construct a sandbag dyke bearing directly against a home with an old or questionable foundation system as the weight of the dyke could affect the structural integrity of the home. Sandbag dyke supported by structure, subject to possible direct wave action. The number of sandbags needed for 100 linear feet of dyke is: • 800 bags for a 1 foot high dyke • 2000 bags for a 2 foot high dyke • 3400 bags for a 3 foot high dyke Remove al ice and snow from a strip of land at least as wide as the base of the dyke. If the dyke is to be more than about 3 feet high, remove a strip of sod to provide better anchorage for the dyke. Common errors in sandbagging are: a. Attempting to build, fill bags or construct a dyke too quickly or with inadequate help, causing personal fatigue, possible injury and/or construction of an inferior dyke. b. Filling the bag too full, making the bag like a sausage, and requiring an additional bag to plug the hole left between the bags. c. Letting the edges of bags overlap, thus leaving a hole and spoiling the level for the next row of bags. d. Bags are placed where they are easily destroyed by wave action. e. Assuming sandbags are a permanent means of shoreline protection.