When devastating floods threatened his home in Rosharon, Texas, Randy Wagner decided to try something most of his neighbors had never seen before. Instead of relying on traditional sandbags, he spent $8,300 on a 400-foot-long Aqua Dam—a massive water-filled barrier designed to keep floodwaters away from buildings. Some people thought his plan was completely crazy.

Wagner had received a flood warning and feared the rising Brazos River could force his family from their home. After discovering the Aqua Dam online, he traveled to Louisiana to get one. With help from two other people, they filled the system with water, creating a heavy barrier that conformed to the ground and formed a wall around the property.

Then the floodwaters arrived. As water rose to more than two feet, the Aqua Dam held firm, while families in parts of Brazoria County faced mandatory evacuations. Wagner’s home remained safe and dry. The people who had initially laughed at him reportedly began to understand why he had made such an unusual investment.

The $8,300 price tag suddenly looked very different when Wagner compared it with the potential $150,000 in damage his home could have suffered. His unusual solution had protected his property and family when they needed it most. Sometimes, what looks like a crazy idea at first can turn out to be exactly the kind of preparation that makes all the difference.