Please secure sand and bags BEFORE the rainy season--be considerate and please limit sandbags to 10 per household.

The City provides a limited stockpile of bags and sand available to Novato residents for emergency use--to use these stockpiles, you must supply your own labor, shovels and support. If you are physically unable to fill the bags, please contact the Public Works Corp Yard at 415.899.8280 during business hours and schedule a time to pick-up prefilled bags.

Sandbag Locations

The City has bags and sand available to the Novato Community at the following locations (for Novato residents only). Limited to 10 bags per household, first-come first-served:

La Ciudad de Novato ha restaurado su abastecimiento de sacos y arena. Sacos disponibles en el taller de mantenimiento de la ciudad localizado en 550 Davidson Street. Usted debe suministrar su propia labor para llenar los sacos. Se agradece al público que tomen sólo lo necesario para que rinda la cantidad disponible para el mayor número de ciudadanos. 

Other locations (for purchase only):

Tips on Filling and Stacking Sandbags

The use of sandbags is a simple but effective method of preventing or reducing damage from flood water or debris.

Sandbag Construction

One person can fill a sandbag on their own by following these steps (please see video): 

Two people can fill sandbags together by following these steps:

• One member of the team should place the empty bag between or slightly in front of widespread feet with arms extended. The throat of the bag is folded to form a collar and held with the hands in a position that will enable the other team-member to empty a rounded shovel-full of material into the open end.
• The person holding the sack should stand with knees slightly flexed and arms resting on legs.
• The shoveler should carefully release the soil into the throat of the bag.

Fill sandbags 1/2 to 2/3 full, tie at top so bag will lie flat when put in place. Overfilled bags will leave gaps, allowing water through.

Stacking Sandbags

Stack sandbags flat on the ground, overlapped and overstepped; tamp down into place (see images below).

Always finish one complete layer of sandbags before starting the next layer. 

Side view, stairstepped.	From above, overlapped.

It is also recommend to use 8 foot wide plastic sheeting placed four feet on the ground and four feet up the wall to create a barrier at doorways and garages.

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