Sandbag
To support people as they prepare for the anticipated rise in river levels and the threat of flooding, the City has opened a public sandbag filling location.
The City will provide sand and up to 25 empty bags per vehicle for people wishing to fill their own bags. Residents can go through the line more than once, howeer we are issuing 25 bags at a time. Operations are located in the Sherman Park parking lot north of the Great Plains Zoo (see map below). The entrance to the sandbag filling operation is located at the corner of 13th Street and Kiwanis Avenue.
City staff will be present to direct traffic to the sandbag filling stations. Hours of operation are 8 a.m. through 8 p.m. daily through early next week. Access to the site will close at 7 p.m. each evening. Those in line at 7 p.m. will be allowed to fill their sandbags.
Depending on public demand, long lines may occur. The public is asked to be patient as they wait in line to fill their sandbags.
People wishing to volunteer to help fill sandbags can contact the 2-1-1 Helpline Center.
Volunteers will be required to sign a waiver before starting work. Volunteers who are 16 or 17 years old will need a parent or guardian signature on the waiver form before they can volunteer. No one under 16 years of age will be permitted to volunteer.
Sandbagging Technique
Use pyramid placement to increase the height of sandbag protection; however, use caution when rasing the levee height. Determine the height of the sandbag raise by using the best available forecasts of flood conditions. An example: When the water level is currently 1 foot below the top of the levee and is predicted to rise 3 more feet, construct a 2-112 foot sandbag operation which includes one-half foot of height as a safety factor. It's important to compact each bag in place by walking on it, butting the ends of the sacks together, maintaining a staggered joint placement and folding under all loose ends. Watch for flooding elsewhere, and watch for boils on the landward side of the levee due to the increased water elevation.
