TrapBag® for Flood Protection
TrapBag industrial flood barriers create a stable, durable barrier that keeps water away from vulnerable buildings and infrastructure. Whether it’s ahead of spring flooding or a predicted storm surge from a hurricane, these flood barrier bags are designed to keep water out while minimizing the labor you need to deploy them.
These barriers are a chain of interconnected cells that are sloped on one side and vertical on the other for structural integrity. They’re large and sturdy enough that one 100-foot section of TrapBags replaces roughly 8,000 sandbags.
Why Use TrapBag®?
- Crews and emergency management experts have installed thousands of miles of TrapBag barriers worldwide because they:
- Withstand extreme water pressure and harsh environmental conditions.
- Require less labor and time compared to traditional sandbag barriers.
- Need fewer materials and less heavy equipment to deploy.
- Are suitable for many water control applications, including construction, infrastructure repair, erosion control, and flood prevention.
- Minimize environmental impact without sacrificing effective water displacement.
How to Deploy TrapBag Barriers
Flood barriers work by forming a continuous wall that blocks and redirects water away from what you are protecting. Here is how TrapBag® deploys in three steps:
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Open the packaging: Your TrapBag® barrier comes folded up on a pallet. Pull each unit you need out like an accordion and stretch it up to 50 linear feet.
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Place the barrier where you need it: Place the TrapBag® barrier wherever you need it to mitigate flood damage or divert water.
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Fill the cells: A team of three people with an excavator or skid steer can fill your TrapBag® barrier within minutes with sand, washed gravel, or concrete. You can also stack a 2-ft barrier on top of it for added height. Anything over 6 feet tall requires a pyramid configuration (2 rows of 4-ft back-to-back with the third row stacked on top).
Flood Barriers by Application
Commercial & Industrial Flood Barriers
Protect warehouses, plants, and equipment yards from rising water. Commercial and industrial flood barriers from TrapBag stand up to fast-moving water and hold their line around large footprints, from a single building to a full manufacturing or power plant site.
Learn More »Municipal & Infrastructure Flood Barriers
Cities, agencies, and utilities use TrapBag to shield roads, water treatment plants, substations, and underground infrastructure during river flooding and storm events.
Learn More »Hurricane & Storm Surge Flood Barriers
Along the coast, TrapBag barriers hold back storm surge and hurricane flooding. Crews deploy them ahead of a named storm and stack them for added height where surge runs high.
Learn More »Temporary & Emergency Flood Barriers
When a flood warning gives you hours instead of days, TrapBag goes up fast, holds through the event, and comes down after the water recedes.
Learn More »Flexible Flood Barriers & Cofferdams
TrapBag bends around curves and uneven ground where rigid flood walls cannot, and the same system doubles as a temporary cofferdam to dewater a work area.
Learn More »Projects
How TrapBag® Compares to:
Sandbags have been utilized for flood protection in some form for thousands of years, and they’re still commonly used as flood barriers in construction and some industrial applications. They’re also cost-effective and sturdy when installed properly.
However, sandbags have a notoriously high margin of error—and the price could be damage to homes and property if your sandbag barrier gives way during a flooding event.
By contrast, a team of two people with a skid steer or other machinery can fill a TrapBag barrier in under an hour. These barriers are leak-resistant and can withstand thousands of pounds of constant water pressure during severe floods.
These barriers are made of aluminum or other lightweight metals. While they can also be used to control the flow of motor traffic around construction sites, they’re primarily used to divert water away from vulnerable areas like sewer systems and water treatment plants.
However, unlike TrapBag barriers, aluminum flood walls are not easy to stack in the event of major floods or levee breaches. This can lead to disaster if the water overtakes the top of the barrier—or even knocks it down.
This style of flood barrier uses the power of water inside a sandbag-like barrier to keep the water outside the barrier from reaching structures. They are a reusable option that can be deployed with enough notice.
However, water barriers can also puncture more easily than other industrial flood barriers like TrapBag. Since debris is a common factor during river floods and storm surge events, water barriers can become ineffective relatively easily.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Flood barriers are structures that block or divert floodwater to keep it away from buildings, equipment, and land. They range from sandbags to permanent flood walls to fillable barriers like TrapBag.
They create a continuous wall that stops water and redirects it. TrapBag cells are filled on site with sand, gravel, or concrete, so the weight of the fill holds the barrier in place against moving water.
Yes, when they are sized and placed correctly. A 100-foot TrapBag section replaces about 8,000 sandbags and can be stacked for added height where water runs deep.
Cost depends on the length, height, and fill you need for the site. Tell us about your project and we will price the run for you.
TrapBag barriers use a heavy-duty geotextile fabric in connected cells, filled on site with sand, gravel, or concrete.
TrapBag is built for rapid deployment. A crew can open, place, and fill sections in a fraction of the time sandbagging the same distance would take.
One 100-foot TrapBag section replaces roughly 8,000 sandbags, uses far less labor, and forms a stronger continuous wall.
About the TrapBag® Team
TrapBag was first designed in 2004 by our founder, Everett “Buzz” Waid, as an all-around improved alternative to traditional flood control solutions after a hurricane devastated his Florida community.
Protecting what matters most to you—including lives and property—is our top priority. Commercial and public property managers all over the world trust our personalized guidance and support through any project or emergency management situation. We’re proud to help industries and communities like yours stay prepared for the storm.
You won’t have to wait for our business hours to get help when you need it most. Our team is ready to help you get the flood protection you need across multiple countries and continents.
