Why are sandbags the weapon of choice to fight flooding?
Go Deeper.
Create an account or log in to save stories.
Like this?
Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.
Whether it's Crookston, Wolverton, Breckenridge or Fargo, the key tool in flood fighting this week is the sandbag. Volunteers in the Fargo Moorhead area have filled about a million sandbags so far. And, they hope to have two million sandbags placed in dykes before the Red River crests later this week. That's about 70 million pounds of sand.
We wanted to know more about this indispensible tool, so All Things Considered called Ken Hellevang, an Extension Service Agricultural Engineer at North Dakota State University. He's written a guide on building sandbag dykes. Hellevang told my why sandbags are the tool of choice.
Turn Up Your Support
MPR News helps you turn down the noise and build shared understanding. Turn up your support for this public resource and keep trusted journalism accessible to all.
Dear reader,
Your voice matters. And we want to hear it.
Will you help shape the future of Minnesota Public Radio by taking our short Listener Survey?
It only takes a few minutes, and your input helps us serve you better—whether it’s news, culture, or the conversations that matter most to Minnesotans.
