Estuario Weekly Update
Estuarine greetings! Below, we share the events, initiatives, and training and collaboration opportunities programmed in benefit of the waters, ecosystems and communities connected to the San Juan Bay Estuary (SJBE).
Support the San Juan Bay Estuary Partnership with your Refund
This new filing season, we urge you to donate your refund to the actions to eliminate sanitary discharges to bodies of water loved by all, such as the Condado Lagoon and beaches. You will also support the restoration of the San Juan Bay, the canals that connect the lagoons of the San Juan metropolitan region, and management projects for this important ecosystem.
Look for the option “Contribution to the San Juan Bay Estuary Special Fund,” located in line 1B of the “Refund” box of your form.
This method is possible thanks to Act 48 of 2009, which establishes the Special Fund for the San Juan Bay Estuary.
Learn about the different methods available to donate to the San Juan Bay Estuary Partnership (SJBEP) in estuario.org/donar/.
Family Day at the Condado Lagoon Natural Estuarine Reserve
Join the Estuario Family Day, at the Jaime Benítez Park of the Condado Lagoon Natural Estuarine Reserve, on Saturday, March 1, 2025! We will have a cleanup in the Reserve, a workshop about the wildlife of the SJBE watershed, a trivia, a sports activity and Cine del Estuario. See more information at: estuario.org/eventos. No registration required. See you there!
Cine del Estuario presents: Wicked
Cine del Estuario presents: Wicked; on Saturday, March 1, 2025, at 7:00 p.m. at the Jaime Benítez Park of the Condado Lagoon Natural Estuarine Reserve. The film will be screened in Spanish, with English subtitles. This feature is free of charge. Bring your blanket or chair!
Estuario 5K at Jardín Botánico
The first Estuario 5K will be on March 23, 2025, at 7:00 a.m. at Jardín Botánico de Río Piedras, San Juan! You will walk along trails, appreciating streams and lakes, and listening to the song of birds under the shade of native and centenary trees.
Registration includes a commemorative shirt, medal at the end of the 5K, runner number, chip to record the duration of your race, hydration, access to educational tables at the end of the race.
For an additional cost, you can get the opportunity to enter the raffle for the VIP Concert Experience of Bad Bunny’s No me quiero ir de aquí.
The Estuario 5K is carried out with the endorsement and close collaboration of Jardín Botánico de la Universidad de Puerto Rico.
Water Quality Day of Puerto Rico
Ready to assess the health of the waters around your community? Create your group, choose a body of water and join the largest participatory science event on the Island—the seventeenth Water Quality Day of Puerto Rico will be on Saturday, April 5, 2025, from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. Registration opens soon! Stay tuned to our weekly updates and social media for more details.
Characterization of microplastics at Canal Margarita
On Saturday, February 22, 2025, we carried out the most recent Certification for Citizen Scientists’ field experience of the Estuario Microplastics Characterization and Reduction module, through the Canal Margarita and the entrance to Caño Martín Peña.
We are grateful for the participation of Christopher Orozco, Dianivette Rolón, Elsa Ortiz, Rey González and Edgar Lozada, who accompanied us during the journey. We congratulate Elsa Ortiz, Edgar Lozada and Dianivette Rolón, who, with this field experience, achieved their certification as citizen scientists.
Certification for Citizen Scientists
Below are the events scheduled for the coming weeks. See more information at: estuario.org/ccc.
Participatory Bird Census Module
Participatory bird census workshop; Thursday, March 6, from 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. via Zoom
Field experience; on Sunday, March 9, from 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. in Parque Central de San Juan
Register today, at: estuario.org/ccc.
Weekly water quality monitoring
Evaluation carried out on Thursday, February 27, 2025. We have a GREEN flag for the Condado Lagoon. However, we recommend avoiding the areas which exceeded the Beach Action Value water quality standard of 70 CFU/100 ML. Remember to avoid the water during rain events.
