R.I. Gen. Laws § 32-1-3
To more effectually carry out the purposes of this chapter and chapter 2 of this title, the department of environmental management may acquire by purchase, gift, devise, or condemnation, lands, easements, rights, and interests in land for a park, recreation ground, or bathing beach in any part of the state, whether that property is situated in the cities or towns in which its powers may be exercised under the provisions of § 32-2-1, or is situate in any other city or town; provided, that all property other than tide-flowed lands acquired by condemnation shall remain subject to all rights of riparian proprietors on any waters bordering upon the property, that no riparian rights shall be taken, destroyed, impaired, or affected by the condemnation, that all riparian proprietors shall have the right to continue to maintain, repair, or reconstruct dams and their appurtenances now existing on the waters bordering upon that property and for this purpose to enter upon that property, restoring it after repair or reconstruction to its previous condition as nearly as may be, and shall continue to enjoy the same rights of flowage with respect to that property that the riparian proprietors have heretofore used and enjoyed. Subject to the foregoing provisions of this section, the department may use, or permit the use of, property, acquired by it under the provisions of this section and the waters bordering thereon, for bathing, boating, fishing, and skating, and shall have the same authority, supervision, and control over that property as it has over other property acquired by the department under other provisions of this chapter or any other law.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 32-1-3