there as foam fractionating. As of October 29, 2012, due to the effects of Hurricane Sandy hitting New Jersey, an inlet opened between Barnegat Bay and the Atlantic Ocean at the river's east end, the storm having obliterated the dunes, roads, and houses that once blocked off the river from the ocean. Thus the Metedeconk technically opened to the Atlantic Ocean at the base of the Route 528 bridge, whose east end was washed away by the storm, until repairs could be attempted to the peninsula and the bridge. By February 2013, peninsula and bridge repair had effectively reclosed the inlet and reopened the bridge to limited traffic. Notable areas The river west of Forge Pond (where it forks into North and South Branches) is known as the upper section, while the river east of Forge Pond is known as the lower section. The upper section is popular with paddle boaters. The lower section, being deeper, wider and wavier, is more popular with sailboats and powerboats. A notable section of the lower Metedeconk is Windward Beach, a small beach sanctioned for public recreation. On the upper Metedeconk, the river flows through the fresh-water Lake Shenandoah, where a popular county park holds great attraction. Metedeconk River Yacht Club Metedeconk River Yacht Club was founded by a group of devoted yachtsmen in 1936. The primary purpose for which the club organized was to advance the sport of yachting and to promote the social enjoyment and good fellowship among its members. Importance to local communities The Metedeconk River is important to local wildlife and the surrounding human populations, providing a place of recreation as it winds through the townships of Brick, Freehold Township, Howell, Jackson, Wall Township, Lakewood and Millstone Township. It is the primary source of drinking water for Brick, Point Pleasant Beach and Point Pleasant Borough. As such, it was classified as a Category 1 (C1) River, the highest level of protection offered rivers by the state of New Jersey. Wildlife With both fresh-water and tidal wetland portions, the Metedeconk supports an extremely diverse range of wildlife. Wild rice grows along the banks along some portions of the Metedeconk. Bald eagles have been sighted there, and ospreys nest atop nearby trees and industrial towers and come to the river to fish. Sections of the river and surrounding estuary habitat are protected as parts of New Jersey’s extensive Edwin B. Forsythe National