We know that weather has been unpredictable the last few years. From a warm winter in the Northeast to hotter summers than ever in the Pacific Northwest, it’s hard to know what to expect each day in any season. 

The Southwest region of the country had experienced a highly unusual amount of flooding in 2016, and many inhabitants lost possessions or even parts of their homes.

One resident, however, invested in protecting his home before the floodwater got to him. 

Texas resident Randy Wagner was ready for the 2016 floods in his home state. The Texas man spent time and money on an Aquadam that surrounded the perimeter of his house. It wasn’t the most obvious solution – but it worked.

Randy is from Rosharon, Texas, and decided to look into construction of a DIY Aquadam despite a mostly dry season. After hearing that the Brazos River Authority was warning of a massive incoming flood, he drove to Louisiana to pick up his Aquadam.

Randy faced some criticism from neighbors for choice, but his decision only helped him in may of 2015. Thousands of homes in Brazoria County were evacuated at this time after a flood hit the area, and sadly many homes were even lost.

Wagnor’s home, however, was left without any damage.

“To not know what that level was going to stop at, I needed to prepare for something that no one has seen,” he explained.

“I was the crazy guy. Everybody was kinda going by, laughing at me. But today they are really impressed with this Aquadam.”

The set-up of the device took 3 men, including Wagner, and consisted of roughly 400 feet of tubing that stood 30 inches high. The damn consisted of plastic and fabric and was filled with water.

If not for this simple tubing, Wagner and his family would have seen some of the almost 3-foot water in their home. Instead, they watched it gather outside as they stayed home during the flooding.

”$8,300 is to me a small investment on a house that could have two feet of water in it,” Randy said.

Aquadams may not be the most traditional method of preventing flood damage, but they do save homeowners and insurance companies alike thousands of dollars in damages. Quieter and lighter than many similar contraptions, Aquadams have been used in a few different areas in place of other preventative measures to fairly consistent success.

If you’d like to learn more about Aquadams, see the video below!