Rock Island District / Missions / Emergency Management / NFFMC / Supplies

Available Flood Fight Supplies and Equipment

The National Flood Fight Materiel Center (NFFMC) at the Rock Island District can supplement USACE District’s flood fight materiel, provide cost-effective surge and replenishment support, and reestablish USACE District stocks during recovery operations.

The NFFMC maintains a baseline inventories and Indefinite Delivery / Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) type contracts with capabilities to provide flood fight materials to USACE districts throughout the continental United States. Outside the continental United States is on a case-by-case basis.

State, local, and Tribal governments can borrow flood fight supplies and equipment and receive onsite technical advice. The diagram below shows the process for obtaining supplies, equipment, or technical advice. NOTE: Tribal governments can request directly from the USACE District the flooding is occurring.

According to Regulation ER 500-1-1 4.3.e.(1), “Loaned supplies and equipment should be returned in the same condition as it was when lent, replaced in kind, or reimbursement made to USACE. District commanders may waive loan replacement requirements for expendable supplies when a presidential disaster declaration under authority of the Stafford Act has been made. Reimbursement is required for all other situations.”

Available Supplies

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Typical Sandbags

Sandbags can be used for a temporary flood barrier, for keeping plastic sheeting in place, small leak locations, ringing sand boils, etc. Recommended fill material is coarse sand.

Sandbag details:

  • White coated polypropylene fabric
  • 26 inches long by 14 inches wide flat 
  • 24-inch tie string is attached to the bag

How sandbags are shipped:

  • Wooden container crate
    • 12,500 sandbags (bundled in groups of 500)
    • Shipping dimension: 4 foot long x 4 foot wide x 4 foot tall
    • Shipping weight per crate: 1,220 lbs.
  • Palletized
    • 16,000 sandbags (bundled in groups of 1,000)
    • Shipping dimension: 4 foot long x 3.4 foot wide x 3-4 foot tall
    • Shipping weight per crate: 1,350 lbs.

Placement Instructions can be found in the USACE Rock Island FLOOD FIGHT HANDBOOK

Helpful Notes for a Successful Sandbag Temporary Barrier:

Preparing an area for sandbag placement

  • Best on bare soil or surface-broom finished concrete or rougher
  • Leave room for river to pass
  • Be close to buildings, but allow space to place additional sandbags to raise the barrier if required.
  • A sandbag barrier needs significant sandbags. 
    • For each foot high, the barrier needs to be 3 foot wide. 
    • A 2-foot-tall barrier would be 6 foot wide
    • A 3-foot-tall barrier would be 9 foot wide
    • A 3-foot-tall barrier is the highest recommended sandbag barrier.
  • Don’t assume a building wall is rated to hold flood waters. 
  • End the sandbag barrier onto natural ground or bridge abutments.
  • Any underground pipes or conduits will need to be plugged or closed
  • Always assume a pump will be needed. A sump pump might work for one house, but a larger pump may be needed.
  • Ensure 24-hour power or fuel for the pump is available.

Filling Sandbags

  • Fill each bag about ½ to slightly more than ½ full. DO NOT fill to the top.
  • Correct weight should be about 50 lbs. when filled 1/2 to 2/3 full. 
  • If placing immediate, tying is not necessary
    • Tuck opening underneath, facing upstream. If you can’t tuck, it’s filled too full.
  • Sandbag filling staging areas should be outside the leveed area (especially if using volunteer labor).
  • An automatic rebar tying tool or zip ties may quicken closure. Gloves may be needed to move (due to sharpness of the metal or zip tie)

Reducing Seepage

  • Stagger sandbags as you place them for each level/row.
  • Compact each row by walking on them. Sandbags should be fully touching the bags on each side.  Overfilling bags allows gaps which water will flow through.
  • Place plastic sheeting (minimum 4 mil thick, 6 mil thick is preferred) on the riverside to the crown or top of the barrier.  Place sandbags on top to ensure the sheeting isn’t relocated by river currents or wind.
  • Plan for a way to remove any remaining seepage or ponded precipitation. See the pumps section (Link to below)

What to do with sandbags after a flood

  • Sandbags contacted or loaded with flood water, must be disposed of at an appropriate landfill or the local ordinance.
    • Sand that flood waters have contacted is NOT appropriate for sandboxes
  • Filled, but not placed in the field or contacted by flood waters. After removing sand from the sandbags:
    • Return sand to quarry
    • Beach Nourishment
    • Other construction practices
    • Sandboxes/playgrounds – depends on the original sand source
 
Large Sandbags (with or without slings)

Large Sandbags can be used for a temporary flood barrier, emergency closure of a breached or an overtopping levee, erosion reduction, and using at transitions between manufactured flood barriers and/or infrastructure (bridge abutments, steep embankments, etc). Recommended fill materiel is a coarse sand, gravel, cobblestones, or small riprap.

For emergency breach closures, overtopping cessation, or in-place erosion reduction, slings with attached shackles are available. Each large sandbag is rated to be capable of being airlifted. After each bag is filled and closed, the four lifting loops are attached to heavy equipment that places it into the location.

For difficult to reach locations, attached the four lifting loops into the shackle and then the sling. The sling is then attached to a helicopter remote release hook, which can drop the entire assembled sling and bag into the damaged area.

Large Sandbag Details

  • White coated polypropylene fabric
  • 36 inches wide by 36 inches deep by 48 inches tall (36 inches closed)
  • Duffle type closure top
  • Maximum Working load 2,500 lbs.
  • Safety Factor of 5:1 (Ultimate load 12,500 lbs.)
  • Four Lifting loops

How Large Sandbags are Shipped

  • Wooden crate container
    • 100 large sandbags per container
    • Shipping dimensions: 4 foot long x 4 foot wide x 4 foot tall
    • Approximate shipping weight per container: 950 lbs. 
  • Palletized
    • 100 large sandbags
    • Shipping dimensions: 4 foot long x 3.4 foot wide x 3-4 foot tall
    • Approximate shipping weight per container: 900 lbs.

Helpful Notes for a Successful Large Sandbag Temporary Barrier

  • Best on bare soil or surface broom finished concrete or rougher
  • Use heavy equipment to fill and place.
  • Maximum suggested floodwater height on a single row is 2 foot from the bottom before adding both width and height.
  • General recommendations:
    • For each foot high of floodwater, the barrier needs to be 3 foot wide.
    • For 2 feet of floodwaters, the barrier needs to be 6 feet wide.
    • For 3 feet of floodwaters, the barrier needs to be 9 feet wide and two units tall.
  • Available time, placement space, and risk of the barriered area should be evaluated when determining barrier structure.

Reducing Seepage

  • Place plastic sheeting (minimum 4 mil thick, 6 mil is preferred) on the riverside to the crown or to the top of the barrier. Place sandbags on top to ensure the sheeting isn’t relocated by river currents or wind.
  • Plan for a way to remove any remaining seepage or ponded precipitation. See pumps section (Link).

Helpful Notes for a Successful Large Sandbag Emergency Placement in Floodwaters

  • Larger fill may be required. Final breech closure might require larger and heavier obstructions.
  • Ensure the bags are closed. Hog rings or additional closure mechanism may be required if high current is present.
 
Gabion Basket Type Temporary Flood Barriers

A gabion basket type temporary flood barrier is five (5) connected heavy wire cells that are fabric lined or one unit that is 15 feet long. One unit, under ideal condition, can be placed and filled in under 20 minutes using a trained crew of 2-3 people, onsite fill material, and suitable heavy equipment.

Unit gabion basket details

  • As packaged: 3 feet wide x 4 feet long x 8-12 inches tall.
  • Minimum of two (2) people required to lift.
  • As setup: 15 feet wide x 3 feet deep x 4 feet tall

How it is shipped (Palletized)

  • Shrink wrapped
  • Ten (10) units per pallet
    • Total width of 150 feet x 3 feet deep x 4 feet tall temporary barrier
  • Shipping dimensions: 4 foot long x 3.4 foot wide x 3-4 foot tall
  • Approximate shipping weight per pallet: 1,200 lbs.

Helpful Notes for a Successful Gabion Basket Temporary Flood Barrier installation

  • Request technical assistance from USACE or manufacture representative before, during installation, and monitoring when loaded.
  • Install on bare soil or broom surfaced concrete or rougher
  • Depending on the risk of the temporary barriered area, increase the width of the barrier.
  • If it is possible for high floodwaters to occur in the current forecast (long duration floods, semi-permeant installation, precipitation scheduled prior or after forecasted peak, etc), ensure each level is prepared to be widened.
    • Example: prior to filling one unit wide, pin a second row of units and fold against the first unit. Fill the first unit with sand as specified by the manufacturer. If floodwaters rise, it might be possible to unfold and fill the second unit to make a 2 unit wide barrier than can be made into a pyramid or off-set pyramid shape.
  • Place plastic sheeting (minimum 4 mil. thick, 6 mil. thick is preferred) on the riverside to the crown or top of the barrier. Place sandbags on top to ensure the sheeting isn’t relocated by river currents or wind.
  • Plan for a way to remove any remaining seepage or ponded precipitation. See pumps section (Link).
  • A gabion basket removal bar is available after a flood if the barriers are to be removed for future reuse.
  • Manufacture Instructions Link: CON002 Environmental Construction Guide_170405_LR.pdf CON002 Environmental Construction Guide_170405_LR.pdf
 
Polyethylene Plastic Sheeting

Polyethylene sheeting, plastic sheeting, or poly sheeting is used during flood events to reduce seepage or where floodwaters are causing issues on the wet side of the barrier. By using poly sheeting on the wet side of a barrier, less water will have to be pumped back over the barrier. Some barriers also require poly sheeting to reduce damages from flood current and wind generated flood waves. In order of preferred plastic sheeting: 6 mil black sheeting, 6 mil clear sheeting, 4 mil black sheeting, and 4 mil clear sheeting. Dark colored sheeting can help dry out barrier soil.

Polyethylene Poly Plastic Sheeting Information

  • Black colored rolled sheeting
  • 100 feet long by 20 feet wide by 6 mils thick

How it is shipped (Palletized)

  • Twenty five (25) units
    • Rolled, in individual cardboard boxes
    • Total length of 2500 feet by 20 feet wide
  • Shrink wrapped and strapped
  • Shipping dimensions: 4 foot long x 3.4 foot wide x 3-4 foot tall
  • Approximate shipping weight per pallet: 1,500 lbs.

Helpful Notes for a Successful Sandbag Temporary Barrier

Placement Instructions can be found in the USACE Rock Island FLOOD FIGHT HANDBOOK

  • When placed, start at the downstream end, working upstream. Overlap several feet, upstream on top of downstream, to keep floodwaters from pulling the sheeting downriver.
  • Adequately anchor the downstream, at the edges, sheet changes, and every ten feet.
    • Sandbag, burying, or using a temporary barrier can be used as an anchor.
    • Include anchors (sandbags) in the middle of the sheet. Examples:
      • Two sandbag tied together that straddle the crown or top.
      • Tying sandbags along a rope and placing them vertically perpendicular to the barrier. Best on floodwater sloped barriers.
  • Only cover the riverside and crown or top of a barrier (or levee) to allow observation or monitoring of the landside of the barrier.
  • The water velocity of passing floodwaters or high winds may require more sandbags to ensure the plastic sheet stays in place.

Available Equipment

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Pumps

Pumps are available that can be lent to state, local, and tribal governments. Requesting governments must provide transportation, fuel, power source, setup, teardown, and return of the pumps back to a staging area. Pumps may be used for storm sewer pump-down and ponded water. Pumping sanitary sewer is not sanctioned.

Self-Powered (Diesel) Dewatering / Unwatering Pumps

External Powered Take Off (PTO) Dewatering / Unwatering Pumps

  • Pump specifications below are for planning purposes. USACE may have several models in fleet by pump diameter.
    • Typical deployed pump accessories
    • 12-inch Dewatering / Unwatering Pump
      • Open Trailer Design
      • Hose Connection
        • Clamped then Ring and Cuff
      • Pump hose and accessories weigh between 375 to 525+ lbs depending on what is deployed.
      • Requires 30 horsepower PTO drive
      • Approximate Weight is 1,685 lbs
      • Dimensions: 19 feet long, 6 feet wide, 4.4 feet tall
      • Typical Engineering Pump Curve
    • 16-inch Dewatering / Unwatering Pump
      • Open Trailer Design
      • Hose Connection options:
        • Clamped then Ring and Cuff
        • Flanged
      • Pump hose and accessories weigh between 500 to 650+ lbs depending on what is deployed.
      • Requires 75 horsepower PTO drive
      • Approximate Weight is 2,220 lbs
      • Dimensions: 19 feet long, 6 feet wide, 5 feet tall
      • Typical Engineering Pump Curve

Helpful Dewatering / Unwatering Pump Notes

  • Erosion prevention at the discharge end is suggested and REQUIRED when pumping near a levee
    • Options depend on size of pump: A sheet of plywood, 4’x4’ area of sandbags, plastic sheeting (>5mil) with sandbags, large riprap (one person or larger size >75 lbs)
    • Some photo examples (STILL NEEDED).
  • Shipping from the staging area to the deployment is the responsibility of the borrowing government agency.
    • A flatbed type trailer is suggested for pickup.
    • Ensure vehicle has capacity rating (weight, size) for each pump and pump accessories.
    • Ensure the deployment site has capability to unload the pump.
  • Options if more hose is required:
    • Rent/purchase more hose locally
    • Field modify the hose to connect to locally available hose/pipe.
    • Move the interior water closer to the discharge location using heavy equipment (dredge channel closer to the flood waters without impacting the ability of the barrier or levee from holding floodwaters back)
  • A picture of a pump with hoses spread in front of the pump and all accessories (we’ll have to schedule/take that photo at MRPO)
  • Open Trailer Design:
    • Clevis Hitch Pin (PTO)
    • Pintle Hitch Connection (Self-Powered Diesel)
    • Pump Trailers are not rated for highway travel (No lights or license)
      • Trailering suggested between sites
  • Unwatering = Removing water from locations where it is not supposed to be (building basements, houses, subway tunnels)
  • Dewatering = Removing water from locations where it is usually located (storm sewers, ponding areas, locks, river beds)
 
Culvert Bladders

During a flood, any underground sewer (or conduit) can defeat a temporary flood barrier by allowing floodwaters to enter the non-flooded area and damage property and threaten citizens. For engineered levees, culverts have designed gates to hold back the water and may have a gatewell, flapgate, or other closure device.

A culvert bladder can be placed into a leaking or culverts that has floodwaters flowing into the dry area. Bladders are highly flexible and conforms to almost any pipe configuration. The bladders have a multi-size range, can fit through very small openings, but may allow some seepage unless customized for pipeline testing. Typically they are inflated with air, water, or nitrogen.

Culvert Bladder Information

How it is shipped

  • Smaller wooden crate or wire basket(s)
  • Under 500 weight per unit

Generic Installation Instructions: https://www.petersenproducts.com/v/web_downloads/Multi-Flex%20Inflatable%20Plug%20Instruction%20Manual.pdf

 
Sandbag Filling Machines

Filling sandbags is labor intensive. USACE has sandbag filling machines that can reduce some labor and decrease fill time per bag. Bags still require on-site people to hold the bag while filling, tying, placing (temporary or permanent).

Automatic Sandbag Filling Machine

  • Mounted on a trailer 21 feet long by 8.6 feet wide by 8 feet tall
  • Powered by attached diesel generator or external power source
  • Pulled to the site by USACE truck
  • Managed by two (2) USACE staff that setup, monitor, provide training, remain on-site, and move machine as necessary. 
  • An automatic rebar tying tool or zip ties may quicken closure. Gloves may be needed to move (due to sharpness of the metal or zip tie)
  • Typical production from 5-6 on-site labors (provided by requesting location) can fill about 1,500 sandbags per hour. Suggested on-site labor:
    • Front end loader (load sand, move sandbags to truck)
    • Sandbag holder/filling operator
    • Sandbag tyer x2 or when using automatic tying machine x1
    • Mover x2 place sandbag on pallet or pile in front end loader/truck
    • Onsite Sandbag Placement will require more people.
    • Requesting location provides fill (coarse sand), sandbags, diesel or external power (including connection wire), and labor to operate the machine.

Manual Sandbag Filling Machine

  • 4 feet wide x 5.5 feet wide x 7.4 feet tall
  • Skids with ability to move by forklift.
  • Approximately 775 lbs.
  • Four filling stations that fill using foot operated regulator.
  • Suggest automatic rebar tying tool
  • Requesting location provides transportation, fill (coarse sand), sandbags, and labor to operate the machine.