Weekly Estuary Update
This week we approach Global Recycling Day, celebrated on Wednesday, March 18th, which presents 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. Below, we share ways to support estuary conservation, opportunities for participation, and other initiatives to learn, get involved, and contribute to the health of our waters.
Support the Estuary with your Refund
This tax season, consider donating part of your refund to conservation and management efforts for the waters and ecosystems connected to the San Juan Bay estuary.
Look for the option “Contribution to the Special Fund for the San Juan Bay Estuary”which you will find in the box “Refund” on page 1 of your form.
This method is possible thanks to Law 48 of 2009, which establishes the Special Fund for the San Juan Bay Estuary.
Learn about the different ways to donate to the Estuary at: estuary.org/donate.
Eighteenth Puerto Rico Water Quality Day
Sign up today! Puerto Rico Water Quality DayThe largest citizen science event on the island!
For the eighteenth consecutive year, you will 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 Estuary and collect data that will help us better understand the health of these bodies of water.
Create your group, choose your body of water and register at estuary.org/waterqualitydayMonitoring kits are limited, so we recommend signing up as soon as possible.
5K Estuary in the Botanical Garden
The Estuary 5K is back! Join a race like no other, held entirely within the grounds of the Río Piedras Botanical Garden. We have an updated route, perfect for runners and walkers of all levels. You'll run along trails, enjoying streams and lakes, listening to birdsong, and under the shade of centuries-old native trees. There will also be a 1K segment for kids. The little ones will have fun at their own pace!
The second edition of the Estuary 5K will be on Sunday, May 17, 2026, at 7:00 am at the Río Piedras Botanical Garden in San Juan
The Estuary 5K is carried out with the endorsement and close collaboration of the Botanical Garden of the University of Puerto Rico.
We are looking for adult volunteers for the Estuary 5K.
Spaces are still available for volunteers adults (18 years and older) to support the Estuary 5K race at the Botanical Garden, from 6:00 am to 10:00 am on May 17, 2026. Event volunteers will receive a t-shirt and have reserved parking at the DRNA building, steps from the event. They will be required to attend a virtual orientation meeting via Zoom, which we will announce later.
Sign up as a volunteer for the Estuary 5K, en estuary.org/events.
Urban tours in the estuary's watershed
Learn how the water flowing through the city affects the San Juan Bay estuary. Don't miss the next two Urban tours: Discovering the connections between the city's water and the estuary's:
- Capetillo, Rio Piedras on Tuesday, March 17 at 8:00 am
- Jaime Benítez Park of the Estuarine Nature Reserve of the Condado Lagoon, Sunday, March 22 at 9:00 am
We're waiting for you! Register today at estuary.org/events.
Opportunities for professional services contracts
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, March 19, at 9:30 am at the County Lagoon
Field experience: Physical-chemical monitoring; on Monday, March 23, at 8:30 am at Lake Las Curías and the Piedras River
Field experience: Physical-chemical monitoring; on Tuesday, March 24, at 9:00 am in San Juan Bay
Field experience: Physical-chemical monitoring; on Wednesday, March 25, at 8:00 am at Laguna San José/Torrecilla
Participatory Bird Census Module
Field experience; on Saturday, March 28, at 7:00 am in Old San Juan
Microplastics Characterization and Reduction Module
Microplastics Characterization and Reduction Workshop; on Tuesday, March 17, at 7:00 pm via Zoom
Coastal Resilience Module
Coastal Resilience Workshop: Ecological restoration of dunes and mangroves; on Thursday, March 19th, at 7:00 pm via Zoom
Field experience: Ecological assessment of coral reefs; on Saturday, March 21, at 8:00 am at the County Lagoon
Field experience: Ecological assessment of seagrasses; on Saturday, March 21, at 12:00 pm at the County Lagoon
Field experience: Plant propagation and maintenance; on Friday, March 27th, at 8:00 am 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 Estuary's latest public service announcement. Share it!
Weekly bacteriological monitoring
Assessment conducted on Thursday, March 12, 2026. We have a RED flag for County Lagoon. We recommend avoiding areas that exceeded the "Beach Action Value" water quality parameter for enterococci of 70 CFU/100 ML. Remember to avoid the water during rain events. Have a good weekend.
