The National Weather Service issued a flood warning Wednesday for the entire San Francisco Bay Area as an atmospheric river is expected to bring massive flooding to the area this week.
Residents looking to hunker down and wait for the storm to end will want to load up on sandbags if possible. Here are some locations around the Bay Area where you can get sandbags. If you don’t see your city or county below, make sure to check your county website. Sandbags should be free with proof of residency in each city. Don’t forget to bring your shovel!
Alameda County
The Alameda County Public Works Agency is providing sandbags for those living in the unincorporated areas of the county. Residents and business can pick up at these following locations:
Fremont: The city of Fremont said that residents and businesses may pick up a maximum of 10 sandbags (per household and business). Officials added that while bags and sand will be provided, residents must bring their shovel. Residents and businesses can pick up at the following locations:
- City Maintenance Center: 42551 Osgood Road
- Fremont Fire Station 5: 55 Hackamore Lane
- Fremont Fire Station 10: 5001 Deep Creek Road
Residents can pick up a maximum of four sandbags at these following locations:
Castro Valley
- 20336 San Miguel Avenue
- 19780 Cull Canyon Road
Dublin
- 4825 Gleason Drive
Hayward
- 951 Turner Court
- For more information, visit pwainsp.acgov.org.
Livermore: Residents should bring own shovel to location unless noted bags are pre-filled
- Maintenance service center
- 3500 Robertson Park Road
- Fire Station 6
- 4550 East Ave.
- Fire Station 8
- 5750 Scenic Ave.
- Zone 7 Water Agency
- 100 North Canyons Parkway (pre-filled sandbags are available and there’s a limit of six bags per household)
Santa Clara County
The Santa Clara Valley Water District provides five sandbag distribution site offer filled bags, free of charge, 24 hours a day from November through April. The five sites are:
Alviso
- 5030 N First Street
- Located behind George Mayne Elementary School, entrance on Wilson Way behind school
Los Altos
- McKenzie Park
- 707 Fremont Avenue
Palo Alto
- 1925 Embarcadero Road
- Next to Palo Alto Air Terminal
San Jose
- City Central Service Yard
- 1661 Senter Road at Phelan Avenue
- 1661 Senter Road at Phelan Avenue
- Santa Clara Valley Water District Winfield Warehouse
- Winfield Boulevard between Blossom Hill Road and Coleman Avenue
Morgan Hill
- El Toro Fire Station
- 18300 Old Monterey Road
20 other Santa Clara Valley Water District sites offer unfilled sandbags with sand for residents to shovel in themselves. The agency recommends people take their own shovels to those sites, as well as assistance for hauling the heavy bags. Some sites require proof of residency. These locations can be found here.
Sonoma County
The city of Santa Rosa’s sandbag filling station is open for residents throughout the rainy season.
- City Municipal Services Center North: 55 Stony Point Road | Santa Rosa Sandbag station, end of Hopper Street, Petaluma | More information here.
In unincorporated western Sonoma County, sand and sandbags will be available as of 12/30/22 at the following locations:
- Monte Rio Fire Department: 9870 Main Street, Monte Rio
- Forestville Fire Department: 6554 Mirabel Road, Forestville
The city of Sebastopol is also offering sandbags to its residents at the following location:
- Sebastopol Youth Annex: 425 Morris St., Sebastapol
Friedman’s Home Improvement is offering 20 free sandbags and sand per household to those in need while supplies last. Friedman’s locations in Sonoma County are at:
- 4055 Santa Rosa Ave., Santa Rosa
- 1360 Broadway, Sonoma
- 429 N. McDowell Blvd., Petaluma
Marin County
Marin County residents are able to pick-up sandbags at the following locations.
Belvedere | (415) 435-3838, (415) 465-4367 | Sand, Bags, Shovels
- Belvedere Public Works
- Across from 73 Westshore Rd, Belvedere | Community Rd & Mallard Rd, Belvedere | Across from the Police station
Bolinas | (415) 868-1566 | Sand, Bags, Shovels
- Bolinas Fire Department
- 100 Mesa Road, Bolinas
Kentfield | Sand, Bags, Shovels
- Kentfield Fire
- College of Marin parking lot #15 – enter driveway between 139 & 145 Kent Av
Novato | (415) 899-8280 | Sand, Bags
- Novato Public Works
- 550 Davidson St, just outside City Corp Yard
Ross | (415) 453-1453 | Sand, Bags
- Ross Public Works
- Entrance to Natalie Coffin Green Park at end of Lagunitas Rd
San Anselmo | (415) 258-4600 | Sand, Bags
- San Anselmo Public Works
- Just beyond Redhill Shopping Ctr on Sir Francis Drake next to Isabelle Cook School tennis courts off Sunnyhills
San Rafael | (415) 485-3355 | Sand, Bags
- San Rafael Public Works
- Terra Linda Community Center, 670 Del Ganado Rd
- Menzies Parking Lot, 1428 Mission Ave
- Back of peacock gap by Biscayne Dr.
Sausalito | (415) 289-4113 | Sand, Bags, Shovels
- Sausalito Corp Yard
- 530 Nevada St
- 610 Coloma outside basketball courts
Stinson Beach | (415) 868-0622 | Bags only
- Fire Station #2
- 100 Calle Del Arroyo
Tiburon | (415) 435-7386 | Sand, Bags, Shovels
- Outside Blackie’s Pasture gravel lot
Unincorporated Marin | (415) 473-6717 | Sand, Bags
- County Fire
- Point Reyes Station: 4th & B St, Point Reyes
- Tomales: 599 Dillon Beach Rd, Tomales
- Woodacre: 33 Castlerock Ave, Woodacre
San Mateo County
Daly City
- Public Works Corporation Yard
- 798 Niantic Avenue (while supplies last)
Menlo Park
- Menlo Park Fire Department said that residents are able to pick up sand and empty bags at three locations. They recommend residents to bring a shovel.
- Burgess Park parking lot at Alma Street and Burgess Drive
- Menlo Park Fire Station No. 77: 1467 Chilco Street
- EPA Corp Yard: 150 Tara Road, East Palo Alto
San Carlos
- 1000 Branston Road
Contra Costa County
The Contra Costa County Fire Protection District said the county will be providing free sandbags for residents who need it. Officials added that sites in the unincorporated areas have bags provided, but residents would need to bring a shovel.
- To see a full list of locations, visit contracosta.ca.gov.
Santa Cruz County
For a full list of places to pick up sandbags and/or sand, along with contact numbers to check their stocks, click here.
Santa Cruz Mountains
They all recommend you bring a shovel to fill bags yourself
- Boulder Creek Fire Station
- Scotts Valley Fire Station
- Zayante Fire Station
Felton
- Felton Fire Department
- Has sandbags only, not stand, and is reserved for San Lorenzo Valley residents
Ben Lemond
- Ben Lemond Fire Station
- Has sand, only, not sandbags, so bring your own bags
Santa Cruz
- Fire Administration Office
- 230 Walnut Street
- London Nelson Community Center
- 301 Center Street
- Harvey West
- 326 Evergreen Street
- Fill up your sandbags–The city asks that you bring your own sandbag and shovel to fill your bags.
San Francisco
SF Public Works was distributing sandbags to residents at their operations yard at 2323 Cesar Chavez Street, but ran out as of 9 am on 1/4/23. Please check their website for updates.