Portland District 

P.O. Box 2946 

Portland, OR 97208-2946 

(503) 808-4400 

Seattle District 

P.O. Box 3755 

Seattle, WA 98 124-3755 

(206) 764-3406 

Kansas City District 

700 Federal Building, 601 East 12th Street 

Kansas City, MO 64 106-2896 

(81 6) 389-3282 

Omaha District 

2 15 North 17th Street 

Omaha, NE 68102-49978 

(402) 221-4259 

Walla Walla District 

201 North 3rd Street 

Walla Walla, WA 99362-1876 

(509) 527-7144 

US Army Corps 

of Engineers 

Northwestern Division 

Sandbagging 

Techniques 

Printed on recycled paper 2004. 

The use of sandbags is a centuries old, tried 

and true method for flood fighting. 

See procedures and safety tips inside on 

efficient bagging operations. 
Sandbags: u 

a steadfast tool for flood fighting 

andbagging is one of the most versatile 

of flood fighting tools and is a simple, 

effective way to prevent or reduce flood 

water damage. 

Although sandbags do not guarantee a 

watertight seal, they are a proven deterrent to 

costly water damage. 

Sandbags have been used to: 

prevent overtopping of levees. 

direct a river's current flow to specific areas. 

construct ring dikes around boils on levee 

back slopes, levee toes or behind levees. 

use as weight on back slopes of saturated 

levees. 

weigh down visquine and straw bales. 

build buttresses on back slopes and the toes 

of saturated levees. 

reduce seepage at closure structures. 

Read this brochure to learn proper filling and 

placement methods aimed at increasing 

productivity of sandbagging operations. Included 

are hints, safety tips and correct procedures 

which will minimize work-related injuries and 

strain and will maximize essential time. 

THE FIRST LINE OF DEFENSE 

Sandbag construction is a centuries old 

technique that has changed little. Bags are made 

from different materials including treated burlap 

and plastic. They measure approximately 14 

inches wide and 24 inches long. 

Sandbags filled one-half to two-thirds full 

should generally be left untied. Tied bags, filled 

slightly fuller, have specific purposes: filling holes, 

holding visquine or straw bales in place, or 

forming barriers backed by supportive planks or 

aluminum sheet piles. 

If access to the flood site is limited to boat, 

tractor or helicopter, then pallets and forklifts 

may be needed to load and off-load sandbags. 

Unused empty bags can be stockpiled for emergency and will be serviceable for years if kept 

dry and properly stored. 

FILL MATERIALS 

Sand is by far the easiest material for filling 

and shaping sandbags and becomes heavier 

when saturated from rain or moisture. 

In emergencies, other materials such as silt, 

clay, gravel or a mixture of these may be used, 

but none work as well as sand. 

When vehicle access is cut off to the flood site, 

and you have no other choice, use the back side 

of the levee or an adjacent field to find whatever 

material is available to fill sandbags. 

Here are pros and cons on use of other 

materials: 

Silty soils get soft when wet and are more 

difficult to shape, and finer particles leak 

through the weave in the material. 

Clay materials are difficult to shape and to 

bag. 

Coarse-grained gravels are pervious and 

are also difficult to shape but can be used 

for redirecting the main stream flow while 

allowing seepage through bags. 

ALTERNATIVES 

Other methods and remedies for flood fighting 

are as follows: 

Readily available, straw bales are an 

economical alternative. They range in size 

from 18 inches high by 30 inches long to 4 

by 4 by 8 foot long blocks. Secure the bales 

by driving 4 to 10 foot stakes (or rebar) 

through the straw into the levee top, and 

weight down with filled sandbags. Water 

swells the straw, making the bales heavier 

and watertight. 

Concrete Jersey Barriers or Ecology Blocks 

can be used to divert water and can be cost 

effective solutions. 

Plastic sheeting can be used effectively by 

placing sand along a fold. 
Overtopping 

Downed trees on 

levee slope 

1 . Gopher holes 

Seepage through 

pervious levee material 

Saturated levee 

embankments 

Seepage following 

tree root paths 

Flood Level Downed tree I " epage - pner n 

CORRECT FILLING PROC 

Filling sandbags is normally a 

person operation. One member 

while crouching with feet apart 

and arms extended, should place 

the bottom of the empty bag on 

the ground. 

The opening of the bag is 

folded outward about 1- 112 

inches to form a collar and held 

open to allow the second team 

member to empty a fully 

rounded No. 2 shovel of material 

into the open end of the bag. 

Don't hurry. Haste can result 

in undue spillage and added 

work. The third team member 

stockpiles or stacks the open 

sacks. The three team members 

EDURES should rotate duties often to reduce job-specific 

two or three 

of the team, 

muscle fatigue 

Untied bags should be filled approximately 

one-half to two-thirds full. Tied 

bags can be filled slightly more, 

but with enough room left at 

the top to tie the bag off 

properly. 

Always use gloves to protect 

your hands during the filling 

operation. After handling 

treated bags, avoid contact with 

your eyes and mouth. 

Dress appropriately and layer 

clothing. Safety goggles should 

be used on dry and windy days. 

Sandbag filling operations are 

done either near the actual 

This two-member team uses correct placement site or at centrally positions for sandbag filling. located filling sites such as fire 
stations, diking districts or sand pits. 

If the bags are filled at a distant location, 

vehicle transportation and access to the flood 

site are primary planning considerations. 

For large scale operations, a variety of 

specialized filling equipment - such as funnels on 

the back of dump trucks - is commercially available. 

Such equipment is not always available during 

an emergency and may be best suited for a 

staging area where bags can be filled and then 

delivered to the site. 

PROPER PLACEMENT 

Remove any debris from the areas where bags 

are to be placed. Place the bags lengthwise and 

parallel to the direction of flow. Fill the low 

spots first before placing bags the full length 

of the area to be raised. 

Start at approximately 1 foot landward from 

the river or levee's edge. Fold the open end of 

the bag under the filled portion. Folded end of 

bag should face upstream. Place succeeding 

Veteran flood engineer Ernie Sabo demonstrates that 

the sandbag should be two-thirds full, folded at the top. 

bags with the 

bottom of the 

bag tightly and 

partially 

overlapping the 

previous bag. 

Offset adjacent 

rows or layers by 

one-half bag 

length to avoid 

continuous 

joints. 

To eliminate 

voids and form a 

tight seal, 

com~act and 1 1at.c caul ~ULLCCUI~I~ uas LI~I~LIY each bag against and parially overlapping the 

walking on it and previous one. Compact and shape each 

continue the bag by walking on it. 

process as each layer is placed. 

This flattens the top of the bag and prevents 

slippage between succeeding layers. 

SINGLE 

STACK 

PLACEMENT 

Sandbags 

stacked in a single 

row work well in 

flood areas where 

there is no 

streamflow 

velocity or danger 

from floating 

debris, such as 

logs and tree 

stumDs, or from a 

wave action which Single stack placement 

could topple the bags. 

Although generally not recommended to be above 

three courses or layers in height (approximately 1 

foot), higher single stack placement can be effectively 

used as a barricade to protect structures from 

impending water damage as shown in the photo. 
PYRAMID PLACEMENT METHOD 

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 toether, 

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. 

Bags Required Per 100 

Linear Feet of Levee 

Height of 

1 foot 600" 

2 feet 2100 

3 feet 4500 

4 feet 7800 

* Single width course 1 foot high requires 300 bags per 100 linear feet. 

I I Oft 

1 ft 

Minimum 

Width of Sandbag Pyramid Base 

lne pyramid placement method issued to increase Place the sandbags by laying an equal number 

the height of sandbag protection. of horizontal rows on the bottom as there are 

Use this rule of thumb in determining dimensions vertical layers. 

of the pyramid: It's important to compact each bag in place by 

1 bag in length equals about 1 foot walking on it, butting the ends of the sacks together, 

3 bags in width equals about 2-112 feet. maintaining a staggered joint placement and 

3 bags in height equals about 1 foot. folding under loose ends. 
Minimum 2 ft. radius from 

center of boil to edge of 

ring dike. 

Tie into levee if boil is near 

toe of levee 

Build half-moon shaped ring 

dike if boil is on levee slope. 

RINGING SAND BOIL METHOD 

A sand boil is created by water seepage 

through the levee foundation or embankment. 

When that seepage transports dirty water, the 

levee's integrity is threatened. 

It's generally not necessary to build a ring dike 

around a boil that is not transporting soils but 

monitor the boil for any change in condition. 

Don't attempt to place sandbags directly on 

the boil. Pressure applied to plug the boil will 

cause water seeping through the levee to seek 

other avenues to follow and could cause levee 

failure. 

As a minimum, there should be a 2 to 3 foot 

radius from the center of the boil to the inside 

edge of the ring dike. Take care to contain the 

entire area experiencing boils within the ring 

dike. 

Build a spillway section in the dike so water 

runs out in a controlled manner. This diverts the 

overflow water away from the dike and reduces 

erosion on the levee slope. Once the spillway 

water runs clear, and is not transporting soils, 

then the ring dike is completed. Corps employees demonstrate building a ring dike. 

6 
U.S. ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS 

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is the nation's improving river navigation. In the following decade 

oldest engineering organization and one of its the involvement in civil works mushroomed, 

oldest military branches. It dates back to the including new roads, railroads and bridges, and 

Revolutionary War when, in 1775, George assistance to local communities during flood 

Washington appointed Col. Richard Gridley as Chief disasters. 

Engineer of the Continental Army. Annually Congress sets aside funds for disastei 

The Corps' water resource program began in response flood work. This gives the Corps the abiliq 

1824 when Congress appropriated money for 

Tip#l: Use proper lifting techniques to avoid 

injury and fatigue. Lift with your legs and 

bend at the knees to save your back. 

Tip #2: Sandbags are treated to prevent 

deterioration when stored. Use work gloves 

and avoid contact with your eyes and mouth. 

Tip #3: Stay in eye contact with heavy equipment 

operators and keep alert for truck backup 

alarms. 

Tip#4: Flood waters can be polluted. Use rubber 

gloves and appropriate clothing if contact with 

water is unavoidable. 

Tip#5: Wear adequate clothing in layers and 

watertight boots. Reflective material on outer 

clothing is essential for night work. 

Tip#6: Rotate team members frequently to 

avoid fatigue. 

Starting at the top, going clockwise: 

Watch for trucks and other heavy equipment 

frequently at flood sites; boots, clothing and other 

items are necessary for flood fighting; and heavy 

gloves are protection from treated burlap bags. 
This classic shot shows conditions frequently are not even close to perfect. In the early '50s, flood fighters moved fast and 

furious to contain the swollen Snohomish River at Ebey island - a major flood event. 

THE CORPS (continued from page 7) 

to provide preparation, response and recovery 

measures concerned with flood fighting. 

Public Law 84-99 today authorizes the Corps 

to engage in flood fighting and rescue operations 

if the emergency is beyond local and state 

capabilities. The Corps is there to perform a basic 

mandate as set down by the Corps' forefathers. 

During a flood the corps has the authority to: 

inspect and, if necessary, strengthen flood 

control structures, 

make temporary levee raises, 

provide supplies and 24-hour technical assistance, and 

assist in the evacuation of people and 

livestock. 

The Army Corps of Engineers conducts flood 

fight training every year which includes 

sandbagging techniques. The Corps' districts 

maintain a limited supply of sandbags and other 

flood fighting materials intended to augment 

the stocks of state and local jurisdictions during 

actual flood emergency situations. 

Local jurisdictions should first use their supplies 

and then request additional sandbags from the 

state. 

If the state supplies become depleted, then 

the Corps supplies are available for use when 

requested by state or local officials.