Weekly Estuary Update
Greetings from the estuary! This week we're bringing you new opportunities to amplify our collective impact on our waters. We're kicking things off by organizing the 18th Puerto Rico Water Quality Day, inviting co-hosts across the archipelago who want to actively participate in this citizen science effort. We're also sharing recent coastal resilience initiatives and information about upcoming Citizen Scientist Certification workshops and experiences. Join us, participate, and let's strengthen the health of the San Juan Bay estuary together!
We are looking for co-hosts for the 18th Puerto Rico Water Quality Day
If you are interested in being a co-host Join us for the eighteenth annual Puerto Rico Water Quality Day meeting of orientation of the Monday, February 23, 2026 from 6:00 pm to 7:00 pm via Zoom.
The co-hosts will perform at least one of the following tasks:
• Facilitate training workshops for the public
• Distribute monitoring kits
• To receive and provide spaces for the public that will participate in the monitoring
We are looking for co-hosts throughout the archipelago. Estuary will provide the necessary materials. We hope you will join us!
The eighteenth Puerto Rico Water Quality Day will be on Saturday, April 18, 2026, from 9:00 am to 11:00 am. Registration for the event will open soon.
Friends of the Lagoon Meeting
Don't miss the next Friends of the Lagoon meeting, on Wednesday, February 18, 2026, from 6:00 pm to 7:30 pm at Jaime Benítez Park in the Condado Lagoon Estuarine Nature Reserve, with a virtual space via Zoom.
Everyone is invited. To receive your Zoom access link, sign up at estuary.org/events.
Actions for the reduction of aquatic waste
Through the San Juan Bay estuary watershed.
Dispose of your electronics properly
The Municipality of Trujillo Alto will hold an electronic equipment collection event on Saturday, February 28, 2026, from 8:00 am to 12:00 pm in front of the Municipal Office for Emergency Management (Carr. 486 Km. 1.6, Barrio Cuevas).
They will accept computers, cell phones, tablets, chargers, computer parts and cables, routers and converter boxes, DVDs, VHSs, VCRs, GPSs, printers, fax machines and scanners, radios, sound equipment, cameras, MP3s and televisions.
Learn more about the Trujillo Alto Municipality Recycling Program. here.
Actions for Coastal Resilience
Recently, citizen scientists from the San Juan Bay Estuary participated in two field experiences of the Coastal Resilience module, strengthening both nursery work and direct restoration of our coasts.
On Sunday, January 25, 2026, thirteen volunteers helped maintain the Estuary Nursery at Centro TAU in Loíza. The day's activities included transplanting white mangrove and button mangrove seedlings into larger pots, sowing seeds, counting and identifying plants, and cleaning and weeding. This experience provided a hands-on understanding of the processes that support ecological restoration projects before planting.
On Saturday, January 31, seventeen volunteers gathered in Piñones to plant approximately 309 coastal plants, including red mangrove, button mangrove, sea beans, and coconut palms. Seeds were also collected for future propagation efforts. The planting was carried out to strengthen the natural protection of the coastline and promote nature-based solutions that complement existing infrastructure.
Both days integrated education, community action, and hands-on learning, reaffirming that coastal resilience begins with hands willing to plant, care for, and restore. We thank all the citizen scientists who continue to contribute to the health of the waters and ecosystems connected to the San Juan Bay estuary.
Citizen Scientist Certification
Below are the activities scheduled for the coming weeks. Remember that all workshops and field experiences count toward Green Contact hours or community service. See more information at [website address]. estuary.org/ccc.
Water Quality Monitoring Module
Field experience: Bacteriological monitoring; on Thursday, February 19, at 9:30 am at the County Lagoon
Field experience: Physical-chemical monitoring; on Monday, February 23, at 8:30 am at Río Piedras and Lago Las Curías
Field experience: Physical-chemical monitoring; on Tuesday, February 24, at 9:00 am in San Juan Bay
Field experience: Physical-chemical monitoring; on Wednesday, February 25th, at 8:00 am at Laguna San José/Torrecilla
Participatory Bird Census Module
Field experience of Participatory Bird Censuses; on Saturday, February 21st, at 7:00 am at Laguna Blasina
Microplastics Characterization and Reduction Module
Microplastics Characterization and Reduction Workshop; on Thursday, February 26th, at 7:00 pm via Zoom
Coastal Resilience Module
Field experience: Planting of coastal vegetation; on Sunday, February 15th, at 8:00 am in Piñones
Coastal Resilience Workshop: Ecological restoration of dunes and mangroves; on Thursday, February 19th, at 7:00 pm via Zoom
Field experience: Seed collection; on Friday, February 20th, at 8:00 am in Piñones
Field experience: Plant propagation and maintenance; on Saturday, February 28th, at 8:00 am at Vivero Estuario in Centro TAU, Loíza
Weekly bacteriological monitoring
Thanks to the volunteers who supported the bacteriological monitoring on Thursday, February 12, 2026, as part of the Water Quality Monitoring module of the Estuary Citizen Scientist Certification. The results are below:
Assessment conducted on Thursday, February 12, 2026. We have a RED flag for County Lagoon. We recommend avoiding areas that exceeded the "Beach Action Value" for enterococci of 70 CFU/100 mL. Remember to avoid the water during rain events. Have a good weekend.
