Students help City prepare for flood season through volunteer sandbagging
To bolster community preparedness ahead of spring runoff, Eagle Mountain City teamed up once again with students from Ranches Academy for a sandbagging service event.
Led by Stormwater Supervisor Larry Diamond, the event brought together students from grades 1 through 6 to fill about 1,000 sandbags, contributing directly to the City’s seasonal flood readiness efforts.
This marks the third consecutive year that Ranches Academy has participated in the initiative, which has become an anticipated service project for the school and a valued partnership for the City.
“Two years ago, we had some heavy snow melts and reached out to local schools for help,” said Diamond. “Ranches Academy was quick to say they wanted to get involved. Since then, they’ve been doing it every year.”
Despite a milder-than-usual winter, with relatively low snowfall accumulation, the City continues to prioritize preparation. While the immediate need for sandbags isn’t as pressing this year, Diamond says the focus of the event was more about education than emergency response.
“When we go there, we try not to focus on the sandbags,” he said. “We’re not in dire need of them this year, so we focused on education. I think it really tied everything back together.”
The sandbags filled by the students will be stored as part of the City’s existing stockpile, which currently holds around 15,000 filled sandbags. The City also maintains a reserve of empty sandbags and a ready pile of sand, allowing for rapid response should conditions change.
“We’re pretty comfortable where we’re at,” Diamond said. “But we’re always looking for more because you never know. The weather can shift quickly, and preparation is key.”
Beyond the physical task of filling sandbags, the event provided students a hands-on opportunity to learn about local flood prevention efforts and how their contributions support the broader community. The activity also helped reinforce civic values and environmental awareness among the young volunteers.
“I think it’s great when we get the opportunity to work with the community,” Diamond said. “We’ve done it with Ranches Academy and Rockwell Charter High School before. It helps out a ton, and we appreciate it.”
Eagle Mountain’s stormwater management efforts extend beyond seasonal sandbagging.
Over the past year, the City has completed multiple infrastructure improvements to address past flooding issues. These include the installation of new high-capacity stormwater pipes and an upgraded stormwater pond in the Valley View area, as well as the replacement of reinforced concrete pipe (RCP) to triple flood capacity in targeted neighborhoods.
Diamond encourages residents to take simple preventative steps around their homes as well.
“Make sure your downspouts are clean and directed away from your house,” he advised. “A lot of the calls we get are because downspouts are clogged or not pointed away from window wells.”
The City also encourages residents to report plugged drains, street flooding, or other stormwater concerns through its emergency hotline or the Eagle Mountain mobile app.