Hurricanes are becoming more common and more severe due to the impacts of climate change. No matter what type of storm is in the forecast, TrapBag® is the perfect solution for protecting communities and properties as a hurricane flood barrier because it’s designed to withstand the forces of a storm.
Using TrapBag for Hurricane Flood Protection
TrapBag was originally invented for flood protection following Hurricane Charley. Since then, the product has evolved and has become a trusted option for holding back powerful waves and storm surges in hurricane-prone areas across the world.
These storm surge barriers are reliable, affordable, and easy to deploy as a hurricane protection solution. It can prevent storm surges from devastating communities and reduce the need for expensive cleanups.
How TrapBags Are Deployed as Storm Surge Barriers
As a hurricane protection system, TrapBag is designed to be easy to assemble and install wherever you need it in a fraction of the time other systems need. Comprised of a series of cells made of high-strength geotextile, TrapBag is designed to withstand thousands of pounds of water pressure.
Each cell is self-contained but lends its strength to its neighboring cells. Unlike sandbags, if one cell becomes compromised during a hurricane, it will not affect the rest of the barrier.
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Who We Serve
TrapBag works with agencies and organizations across the United States and worldwide to protect communities during hurricane season. Here are just a few of the groups we’ve worked with over the years:
Municipalities
Storm surges can devastate vulnerable communities and be life-threatening if not taken seriously, as seen when Hurricane Katrina struck New Orleans in 2005. Public works and other municipal departments use TrapBag as a rapid-deploy solution for hurricane storm surge protection to mitigate damage and protect lives during and after the storm. Learn More »Civil & coastal engineers
TrapBag protects infrastructure such as bridges, highways, sewers, and stormwater systems in coastal areas from hurricanes. Because of this, civil and coastal engineers rely on it to mitigate damage and reduce the need for costly reconstruction projects. Learn More »Emergency management
Emergency management crews need to work quickly to protect communities before hurricanes and tropical storms make landfall. TrapBag enables them to set up effective barriers in a fraction of the time needed for a standard sandbag barrier. Learn More »Environmental protection services
Hurricanes can severely damage coastal wetlands, which act as a natural barrier for storm surges. Environmental protection organizations can use TrapBags to protect marshlands and the wildlife that call them home. Learn More »Marine services
Hurricanes can damage, destroy, or wash away docks, piers, and other marine structures. Marine services can use TrapBag to protect or reinforce these structures during hurricanes and tropical storms. Learn More »Projects
See All Our Past Projects »
Continued Protection After Hurricane Nicole – Volusia County, FL
November 10, 2023 Read More » about Continued Protection After Hurricane Nicole – Volusia County, FL
Dune Core Stabilization for Hurricane & Storm Surge Protection in Rockaway Beach, New York
May 25, 2014 Read More » about Dune Core Stabilization for Hurricane & Storm Surge Protection in Rockaway Beach, New York
Infrastructure Protection in Sarasota County, Florida
May 13, 2014 Read More » about Infrastructure Protection in Sarasota County, FloridaHow TrapBags Compare to:
Sandbags
Sandbags have long been the only solution for temporary hurricane and flood protection. They’re relatively inexpensive and can be stacked to create a flood barrier that protects houses and other structures from storm surges.
However, with sandbags, you get what you pay for. Wave action can shred a sandbag and cause it to rip open relatively easily, or collapse an entire sandbag wall. In turn, this can cause a domino effect that makes the damage even worse. They’re also labor-intensive to fill—it can take days and thousands of sandbags to create a wall large enough to keep your community safe. By contrast, TrapBag can withstand all types of wave action to protect what matters most from storm surges.
Water Diversion Tubes
As the name implies, these tubes are designed to divert water away from the areas behind them. They’re reusable and often use water as their fill material, so they’re handy for protecting homes in a pinch.
However, because they’re rarely more than a few feet in height, most water diversion tubes aren’t a practical solution for storm surge protection. TrapBags, however, start at 4 feet tall at a minimum. They’re also stackable, so emergency crews can create even taller barriers to withstand the storm surge.
Floodgate Systems
Floodgate systems are a permanent solution that some municipalities use to protect low-lying areas from storm surges and coastal flooding during hurricanes. Crews can close the floodgates ahead of the storm to protect these vulnerable areas as it makes landfall.
However, constructing floodgates as hurricane protection systems can take a long time and is unfeasibly expensive for many communities. Realistically, they also can’t be installed everywhere. TrapBag can protect these areas just as well as a floodgate system for a fraction of the total cost.
TrapBag Specifications for Hurricane & Storm Surge Projects
Use these figures to scope quantities, draft specifications, and compare bids. Contact TrapBag for spec sheets and submittal documents.
Request Spec Sheets| Section length | 50 linear feet per unit; ships folded on pallets and connects end to end |
|---|---|
| Heights | 2 ft and 4 ft; over 6 ft uses a three-row pyramid |
| Costal configuration | At least two rows placed back to back to handle wave energy |
| Fabric | High-strength polypropylene geotextile |
| UV exposure | Withstands at least five years of UV exposure |
| Fill & crew | Temporary flood walls; three people with an excavator or skid steer, permanent structures with concrete |
| Sandbag equivalent | 100 ft of 4-ft TrapBag replaces about 8,000 sandbags and uses 40% less fill |
| Testing | Tested by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers |
Why Choose TrapBag for Hurricane Flood Prevention in Your Community?
TrapBag barriers build on the traditional concept of sandbags while addressing many of their limitations. Developed with hurricane protection in mind, each unit uses a pentagonal design that strengthens the structure and improves stability. The system features a sloped face on one side and a vertical face on the other, creating a shape that resists tipping and stands up to severe wave action. This design helps reduce installation errors and provides a more dependable barrier when communities face rising water.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has tested TrapBag barrier performance under hurricane-level flood conditions, confirming their effectiveness in demanding environments.
Procurement & Project Support
TrapBag works with public agencies, prime contractors, and engineering firms from budgeting through installation.
- Quotes by the linear foot
- Send the length of shoreline or perimeter you need to protect, the target height, the number of rows, and the delivery site, and TrapBag returns pricing and a pallet count for budgets, bid tabs, and purchase orders.
- Submittal documents
- Spec sheets, product data, the installation manual, and Army Corps of Engineers testing documentation for engineer review and bid packages.
- Purchasing options
- Direct purchase orders and authorized distributors.
- Pre-positioning for hurricane season
- Folded barriers take far less warehouse space than equivalent sandbags, so agencies can stock inventory before the Atlantic season opens June 1 and deploy as soon as a storm enters the forecast cone.
- Installation guidance
- TrapBag's team supports contractors 24/7 across multiple countries and continents, from site layout to fill methods.
Frequently Asked Questions
TrapBag barriers create an effective water barrier by forming a continuous line of cells filled with heavy material. This design helps slow rising water, storm surge, and debris during hurricane events across both coastal and inland environments.
Each TrapBag unit concentrates most of its mass in the lower portion of the structure, helping it stay upright under pressure. The combined sloped and vertical faces add stability and help the system stand up to powerful wave action during hurricane conditions.
Yes. Agencies use TrapBag systems to help reduce storm surge impact and redirect fast-moving water. Coastal installations require at least two rows placed back-to-back to handle wave energy.
TrapBag is engineered for rapid installation using heavy machinery. Long runs of barrier can be placed far faster than traditional sandbagging, which helps agencies prepare ahead of landfall.
Standard TrapBag barriers are not reusable. For projects that call for reusability, TrapBag Cofferdam Bags are the recommended product line.
They can. Agencies often deploy TrapBag barriers to add height to existing levees or construct temporary berms to guide or contain rising water during hurricane and storm surge events.
Each TrapBag unit covers 50 linear feet, and coastal installations use at least two rows placed back to back, so 1,000 feet of shoreline needs at least 40 units. Taller barriers need additional stacked rows. Send your shoreline length, target height, and fill material to TrapBag for an exact count.