(New Buffalo, MI) - Work has begun on a wall to try and prevent more flooding from the Galien River at New Buffalo’s lakefront.

          Burkholder Excavating out of Sawyer last week began digging a trench for placing concrete blocks weighing 4,000 pounds apiece.

The wall is going up along the east side of the river from the Whittaker St. bridge to the municipal beach parking lot.

         Officials hope the wall will stop Whittaker St. north of the bridge and the beach parking lot from flooding when the river rises from strong northerly winds pushing in water from a record high Lake Michigan.

         The wall to be four feet tall when completed in the coming weeks is costing $5,360.       

         City Manager Dave Richards said additional blocks can be added if the barrier, initially, doesn’t stop the flooding.