Portion of Third Beach to Close for Maidford River Project

State officials announced that a portion of Third Beach at the mouth of the Maidford River will be closed to the public for two weeks this month for work to improve drainage and water flow into the Sakonnet River.

In a release, the Rhode Island National Wildlife Refuge Complex said excess sand will be cleared at the mouth of the river. The sand removed will be used to build a sand dune across from the Navy Beach parking lot.

The dune will "[help] to assure resiliency of the dune, improving habitat for the threatened Piping Plover and reducing flooding of the salt marsh," the release stated.

The closure will run from March 10 to 22 as large construction equipment is used to do the work.

The clearing of excess sand is a measure that officials hope will prevent the need for a permanent structure at the mouth of the Maidford River to prevent sand from blocking water flow.

"Effectively providing a consistent stream of the Maidford river has the added benefit of providing adequate drainage for the Maidford River Saltmarsh," the release said. "Salt marshes support a wide diversity of native plant and animal species dependent on these areas. Managing these lands for food and cover provide vital nesting and stopover sites for many migrating birds. "