A portion of Rio Del Mar State Beach to close for sand dune restoration project near Esplanade

RIO DEL MAR, Calif. (KION-TV) -- State Parks and Friends of Santa Cruz State Parks announced a portion of Rio Del Mar State Beach will be closed in mid-April in an effort to restore the historic sand dunes near the Esplanade.

According to state parks, the project will reduce sand erosion and improve coastal resiliency.

This partial closure will take place from April 16 to April 19. The beach will be closed from Aptos Creek to the eastern edge of the restroom during dune construction.

The project began after storm activity in 2021 and is expected to reinforce the dunes with driftwood that's been collected at Rio Del Mar and Seacliff State Beach from winter storms.

State Parks said Rio Del Mar State Beach has historically seen serious issues with sand erosion and loss of native vegetation due to strong winter storms.

They also point to evidence of a vegetation-rich floodplain and dune habitat at Rio Del Mar State Beach. This evidence helped inspire dune restoration efforts.