Estuario Weekly Update
This week we approach Global Recycling Day, which is celebrated on Wednesday, March 18 and represents an opportunity to reflect on how our daily actions can help protect the bodies of water and ecosystems connected to the San Juan Bay Estuary (SJBE). Up next, we share ways to support our estuary’s conservation, opportunities for participation, and other initiatives to learn, get involved, and contribute to the health of our waters.
Support the SJBEP with your Refund
This filing season, consider donating your income to conservation and management actions of the waters and ecosystems connected to the SJBE.
Look for the option “Contribution to the Special Fund for the San Juan Bay Estuary”, which you will find in the “Refund” box on page 1 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 Estuary at: estuario.org/donar.
Eighteenth Water Quality Day of Puerto Rico
Register today to the Water Quality Day of Puerto Rico, the largest participatory science event on the Island!
For the eighteenth year in a row, you’ll monitor the water quality of rivers, streams, lagoons, reservoirs, and beaches near you. You will learn how to use the monitoring kit provided by the San Juan Bay Estuary Partnership (SJBEP) and collect data that contributes to a better understanding of the health of water bodies.
Create your group, choose your body of water and sign up, at estuario.org/diadecalidaddeagua. monitoring kits are limited, so we recommend signing up as soon as possible.
Estuario 5K at Jardín Botánico
The Estuario 5K is back! Join a race like no other, carried out entirely within the grounds of the botanical garden, Jardín Botánico de Río Piedras. We have an updated route, perfect for runners and walkers of all levels. You will walk along trails, appreciating streams and lakes, listening to the singing of birds and under the shade of centuries-old native trees. There will be a 1K segment for kids. The boys will have fun at their own pace!
The second edition of the Estuario 5K will be on Sunday, May 17, 2026, at 7:00 a.m. at Jardín Botánico de Río Piedras, in San Juan
The Estuario 5K is carried out with the endorsement and close collaboration of Jardín Botánico de la Universidad de Puerto Rico.
Calling adult volunteers for the Estuario 5K
There are spaces left for adult volunteers (ages 18 and older) to support the Estuario 5K at Jardín Botánico race, from 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. on May 17, 2026. The volunteers of the event will receive a T-shirt and will have reserved parking, in the DNER building, steps from the event. They will need to attend a virtual orientation meeting via Zoom, which we will announce later.
Sign up to volunteer for the Estuario 5K in estuario.org/eventos.
Urban trails through the SJBE watershed
Learn how the waters that flow through our cities affect the SJBE. Don’t miss the next two urban trails: Descubriendo las conexiones entre el agua de la ciudad y del estuario:
- Capetillo, Río Piedras, on Tuesday, March 17 at 8:00 a.m.
- Jaime Benítez Park of the Condado Lagoon Natural Estuarine Reserve, on Sunday, March 22 at 9:00 a.m.
Hope to see you there! Sign up today, at estuario.org/eventos.
Professional Services Contract Opportunities
Certification for Citizen Scientists
Below are the activities scheduled for the coming weeks. Remember that all workshops and field experiences count toward Contacto Verde or community service hours. See more information in estuario.org/ccc.
Water Quality Monitoring Module
Field Experience: Bacteriological Monitoring; Thursday, March 19, at 9:30 a.m. at the Condado Lagoon
Field Experience: Physical-Chemical Monitoring; Monday, March 23, at 8:30 a.m. at Lago Las Curías and the Río Piedras
Field Experience: Physical-chemical monitoring; Tuesday, March 24, at 9:00 a.m. at the San Juan Bay
Field Experience: Physical-chemical monitoring; Wednesday, March 25, at 8:00 a.m. at San José Lagoon/Torrecilla Lagoon
Participatory Bird Census Module
Field experience; Saturday, March 28, at 7:00 a.m. in Old San Juan
Microplastics Characterization and Reduction Module
Workshop on Characterization and Reduction of Microplastics; Tuesday, March 17, at 7:00 p.m. via Zoom
Coastal Resilience Module
Coastal Resilience Workshop: Ecological Restoration of Dunes and Mangroves; Thursday, March 19, at 7:00 p.m. via Zoom
Field Experience: Ecological Assessment of Coral Reefs; Saturday, March 21, at 8:00 a.m. at the Condado Lagoon
Field Experience: Ecological Assessment of Seagrasses; Saturday, March 21, at 12:00 p.m. at the Condado Lagoon
Field Experience: Propagation and maintenance of plants; on Friday, March 27, at 8:00 a.m. at Vivero Estuario, Loíza
Properly dispose of your cooking oil
In case you missed it: Don’t pour used cooking oil down the sink! Watch the SJBEP’s latest public service announcement. Share it!
Weekly water quality monitoring
Evaluation carried out on Thursday, March 12, 2026. We have a RED flag for the Condado Lagoon. We recommend avoiding the areas that exceeded the “Beach Action Value” water quality parameter for 70 CFU/100 ML enterococci. Remember to avoid the water during rain events. Have a good weekend.
