Crews have begun the task of floodproofing the community of landmark.

Tache Mayor Robert Rivard explains Landmark is the lowest spot in that area and so anytime there is a major rain event or spring flooding, the water just sits inside the community. Work is now being done to solve that problem.

Rivard says existing mile roads to the east of the community will serve as dikes. They will now enhance the drainage out of town so that when water comes in, it will be able to go through proper ditches and flow to the Seine River Diversion. He notes instead of running through ditches of the roads, the water will be blocked off and forced to almost travel around Landmark to Provincial Road 210.

"We don't have to raise any of the roads, they are already high enough," he says.

Rivard says the project will cost approximately $3 million. The province will pay ninety per cent of it with the municipal portion coming from reserves.

"The province did a study a couple of years ago, what's the cost-benefit to this project," he notes. "Because of the money they would save in having to fix things after floods, they decided this was the more cost-effective way to go so they are funding most of the project."

According to Rivard, the work should be complete before the end of November. In fact, he says it could be done already by the end of October if everything goes according to plan. He notes there should be minimal inconvenience to motorists, suggesting a road might be closed for a couple of hours while a culvert is replaced.