Ottawa Fights Back Against Spring Flooding With High-Tech Sandbag Machine
Ottawa is no stranger to spring flooding, and this year is shaping up to be another test of the city's resilience — but the City of Ottawa has a new trick up its sleeve: a high-speed sandbagging machine that cranks out 500 bags per hour.
As water levels continue to rise across the Ottawa region, the City has deployed the labour-saving device to help keep pace with demand for flood protection supplies. The machine dramatically reduces the time and manpower needed to prepare sandbags, which are a first line of defence for homeowners and businesses in flood-prone areas like Constance Bay, Britannia, and parts of the east end near the Ottawa River.
How the Machine Works
Traditional sandbagging is backbreaking, time-consuming work — it typically takes a crew of volunteers working in rotation to keep up any meaningful pace. The new machine changes that equation entirely. Capable of filling and sealing 500 bags per hour, it allows a small team to prepare thousands of sandbags in a single shift, freeing up human volunteers for the equally important work of stacking and transporting bags to affected properties.
CBC Ottawa's Hallie Cotnam visited the machine in action and reported on its impressive output, noting that the investment is already paying off as crews race to prepare supplies ahead of peak flood conditions.
What Residents Need to Know
The good news: water levels across the Ottawa region are expected to level off around midweek, giving residents and emergency crews a window to shore up defences before conditions potentially worsen again with further rain or snowmelt upstream.
The City of Ottawa has been actively monitoring waterways and coordinating with provincial flood forecasting agencies. Residents in flood-prone areas are encouraged to:
- Check the City of Ottawa's flood information page for the latest water level updates
- Request sandbags early — don't wait until water is at your door
- Move valuables to higher floors if you live near the river or in a known flood zone
- Avoid flooded roads and pathways, which can be deeper and faster-moving than they appear
A Region With Flood History
Ottawa has experienced significant spring flooding in recent years, most notably in 2017 and 2019, when the Ottawa River crested at record or near-record levels, forcing hundreds of residents from their homes and causing millions of dollars in damage. Those events prompted the city and surrounding municipalities to invest in better flood preparedness infrastructure — and the new sandbagging machine is part of that ongoing commitment.
For communities along the Ottawa River and its tributaries, the annual spring flood season is a stressful reality. But investments like this one show the city is serious about meeting that challenge with better tools and faster response times.
Flood updates are available through the City of Ottawa's emergency management office and the Ottawa River Regulation Planning Board.
Source: CBC Ottawa
