Weekly Estuary Update
Greetings from the estuary! Below, we share the events, activities, and initiatives planned to benefit the ecosystems and communities of the San Juan Bay Estuary.
Biodiversity workshop at the County Lagoon
Learn about the flora and fauna of one of the ecological treasures of the San Juan Bay estuary. Come to the educational talk: Biodiversity of the Estuarine Nature Reserve of the County Lagoon; el Tuesday, August 27, 2024 from 7:00 pm to 8:00 pm via Zoom. Register today, here.
Family day out at the County Lagoon Estuarine Nature Reserve
Join us on Saturday, September 7th, Join us for the next family day trip to the Condado Lagoon Estuarine Nature Reserve. We will have the following activities:
- Treasure hunt (with Green Contact hours) at 2:00 pm
- Sports
- Educational talk, The West Indian manatee: treasure of the Condado Lagoon and the Caribbean; with Yabriel Pagán and Mariellie Pérez, from the Manatee Conservation Center (with Green Contact hours) at 4:00 pm
- Educational talk, Mangroves in danger, a call to conservation (with Green Contact hours) at 5:00 pm
- Live reading of the story, Carlitos the little snail wants to hear the sea; with the writer, Gabriela Joglar Burrowes, at 6:00 pm
Then, Estuary Cinema presents: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles; at 7:00 pm
We look forward to seeing you soon!
Citizen scientist conducts estuarine bacteriological monitoring
We applaud Angeli Torres's environmental commitment. She independently carried out all phases of the weekly bacteriological monitoring of Condado Lagoon and adjacent beaches (including equipment preparation, field sampling, sample analysis, and reporting results to the public). This makes her the first Estuary-certified and trained citizen scientist to lead and complete all phases of our weekly bacteriological monitoring without supervision. Congratulations!
Angeli Torres is a graduate of Ana G. Méndez University in Cupey, where she earned a bachelor's degree in Biology. She has volunteered with the Marine Mammal and Protected Species Program of the Puerto Rico Department of Natural and Environmental Resources. As a student of SEAS Island Alliance, participated in the boarding school Bridge to PhD, at Penn State University, where she conducted independent research focused on the photochemistry of corals. Currently, Angeli is Workforce Fellow of the Proposal SEAS Island Alliance from Inter-American University. His work focuses on the maintenance of coral farms in Culebra.
Complete your citizen scientist certification in the Estuary Coastal Resilience Module
Gain the training you need to help strengthen coastal regions in your community. See available events in the Coastal Resilience module and sign up today. estuary.org/cccWe add new events regularly.
The Coastal Resilience module covers the topics of Coral Reef Assessment, Seagrass Assessment, and Coastal Restoration of Dunes and Mangroves.
If you are one of the citizen scientists who have participated in the workshops and field trips related to the Coastal Resilience module, the Estuary encourages you to continue your certification. For any questions, or to check your certification status, please write to us at: [email protected]The certification is free of charge.
School activities at the County Lagoon
The Estuary is offering educational activities in Jaime Benítez Park, from interpretive tours, workshops and other activities related to the topics of biodiversity, ecosystems, water quality, green infrastructure and coastal resilience.
Spaces are available Monday through Friday, between 8:00 am and 12:00 pm, for groups of all levels (K-12), from public, private, or homeschool schools, with a maximum of 30 participants per activity. These activities count toward Green Contact hours.
To coordinate, write to us at: [email protected].
Citizen Scientist Certification
The following are the upcoming scheduled events. See more events at: estuary.org/ccc.
Water Quality Monitoring Module:
Microplastics Characterization and Reduction Module:
Coastal Resilience Module:
Job opportunities
Accountant—The San Juan Bay Estuary Partnership is seeking qualified applications for an Accountant to join our highly skilled team for projects receiving funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
Part-Time Faculty—The San Juan Bay Estuary Partnership is seeking qualified applications for a part-time faculty contract with a background in civil engineering for the graduate course “Innovative Approaches for a Sustainable Water Infrastructure.” This course will focus on the development of resilient infrastructure and nature-based and will integrate a multisectoral view in the study and evaluation of socio-ecological-technological urban systems. In this course, graduate students will be guided toward interdisciplinary research.
Estuary Resident Artists – Request for Proposals—The Estuary Resident Artists generate artistic expressions with the aim of involving citizens in the process of conservation and restoration of the estuary basin, in a creative and culturally relevant way.
[Download your free copy] San Juan Bay Estuary: History and Research Opportunities
The Estuary is pleased to share its recent publication, San Juan Bay Estuary: History and Research Opportunities; by Ariel E. Lugo and Jorge F. Bauzá Ortega.
This comprehensive document includes valuable information on research conducted in the estuarine system, calling for these observations, findings, and conclusions to be added to in potential future research.
To arrange for the pickup of a free printed copy, please contact us at 787-725-8165.
Prepare yourself this hurricane season
Get ready for this hurricane season. Download the Community Hurricane Preparedness Guide of the Estuary and follow its recommendations. The strength and resilience of your community begins in your home.
Also visit the Virtual Estuary Community Centerwhere you will find vital information, such as relevant emergency numbers and instructions for preparing emergency backpacks.
Don't panic! Get ready.
Weekly bacteriological monitoring
Assessment conducted Thursday, August 22, 2024. We have a GREEN flag for County Lagoon. We recommend avoiding areas that exceeded the water quality standard for enterococci of 70 CFU/100 mL. Remember to avoid the water during rain events.
