CBJ Sandbag Distribution – FAQs
Who is eligible to receive sandbags?
Anyone who lives in or owns property that was impacted by the 2024 Glacial Lake Outburst Flood—about 300 households.
How do I get the sandbags?
Empty sandbags will be distributed from the Mendenhall Valley Public Library starting on October 19 through October 22. Please be prepared to share your contact information, including your address. Up to 200 sandbags per impacted address will be provided.
How do I get the sand?
Sand piles will be available at Dimond Park and Melvin Park October 19-22 (weather dependent). Shovels will be available at both locations, but if you want to bring your own shovel or tools you are welcome (and encouraged) to do so.
How long will CBJ be providing sand?
CBJ plans to provide sand for pickup at Dimond Park and Melvin Park from October 19 through 22, weather dependent. Due to the onset of colder temperatures, we don’t anticipate being able to provide sand again until the spring. Once sand freezes, it is not usable until it thaws.
Please be aware that if temperatures are predicted to drop below freezing overnight, the sand piles will be removed ahead of schedule. If you are ready to fill your sandbags now, then you are encouraged to visit a sand pile as soon as possible and keep an eye on the weather forecast.
Will shovels be available at Dimond Park and Melvin Park?
Yes.
Is there assistance available to help me fill or move sandbags?
Community volunteer efforts may form to provide assistance beyond what CBJ is able to offer at this time. CBJ will share information about any additional resources available as soon as possible.
Can I get sandbags if I was not impacted by the 2024 Glacial Lake Outburst Flood?
No. Given the amount of sandbags currently available, we are prioritizing those who were impacted by the recent GLOF event. We understand future GLOF events may impact different individuals, but that is not predictable. If more sandbags become available, we will share information when that happens.
If you wish to buy your own sandbags, you are welcome to fill them at the Dimond Park and Melvin Park sand piles this weekend. Sandbags are generally available from hardware and home improvement stores.
Can I pick up sandbags for someone else?
Yes—we’ll take down your information and trust that you’re acting in good faith on a neighbor’s request.
I’m not ready to accept 200 sandbags now, can I choose to wait until the spring to pick up my allotment?
Our goal is to get sandbags into the hands of people who want them as soon as possible. If you may want sandbags eventually but don’t have a place to store filled sandbags, we encourage you to accept and store unfilled sandbags so that you have them on hand to fill at a later date. We do not know at this time if we’ll be able to provide more sandbags in the spring, although we do anticipate providing sand.
Isn’t CBJ planning to install HESCO barriers? Do I need to sandbag my property too?
Placing sandbags on private property is the private property owner’s decision. CBJ hopes to have HESCO barriers installed along most or all of the developed sections of the river prior to the next major release, but we may not be able to accomplish that. Additionally, we can’t guarantee the HESCO barriers will completely prevent water from reaching homes. Providing sandbags is an additional option that we’re making available to impacted residents.
How do I know how many sandbags I need?
It depends and is largely up to you. It’s reasonable for individual homeowners to make different decisions dependent on their location, abilities, risks, goals, and other factors.
For more information about sandbags and flood-fighting, see the USACE resources How To Use Sandbags, Sandbags: Construction, Filling, and Placement, and Flood-Fight Handbook.
What resources are available if I need more than 200 sandbags?
CBJ may be able to provide more sandbags per household dependent upon demand. Alternatively, sandbags are generally available for purchase through hardware and home improvement stores.
How much space will these take up on my property?
It depends on how many sandbags you plan to use and how you plan to place them. Sandbags should be filled to between 1/2 and 2/3 of their capacity. Sandbags are typically 14 inches wide and 24 inches long.
For more information, see the USACE brochure Sandbags: Construction, Filling, and Placement.
Where can I learn more about how to place sandbags on my property or where they could go to be most effective?
For detailed and step-by-by step instructions, see the USACE brochures How To Use Sandbags and Sandbags: Construction, Filling, and Placement.
Optimal use of sandbags targets low points where water intrusion would happen first, such as around a dryer vent that is low to the ground / below prior high-water marks.
Generally, sandbags should be used to divert the flow of water and not to fully enclose structures.
In addition to the USACE Sandbag Usage Guidelines, the USACE Flood-Fight Handbook is a good resource to learn more about sandbagging.
Should I place my sandbags right away? Can they stay in place indefinitely?
Sandbags should be thought of as temporary devices; they will degrade over time. Sandbags are most effective when they are placed not long before they are required to divert water.
How did the CBJ get these sandbags?
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers provided all of the sandbags they had stockpiled in Alaska to the CBJ for this distribution.
What resources are available for those that were not flooded this year, but live in the Valley and are concerned about future flooding?
We encourage all valley residents to become familiar with the Mendenhall River flood inundation maps, available here: https://water.noaa.gov/gauges/MNDA2
Instructions for use:
- Scroll down, click “Activate MNDA2 FIM Gauge”
- Zoom out and reposition the map
- Maximize the opacity gauge
- Click through the different flood levels to get a sense of inundation levels at the various levels
CBJ and partner agencies are currently working on updating these maps to account for recent floods and river changes. We anticipate this work being complete enough to build new maps by early 2025.
For homeowners who wish to take individual steps to protect their property, resources and information from FEMA are available on CBJ’s Flood Response webpage – click the “Next Steps for Impacted Residents” tab.