Weekly Estuary Update
We're kicking off August by celebrating mangrove ecosystems with our Family Day Out! This week, we also invite you to a new screening of Estuary Cinema, learn about proposed actions to improve infrastructure in the San Juan metropolitan area, and explore academic, educational, and community opportunities related to the Estuary. Keep reading and join us for each initiative.
Family day out at County Lagoon
Join us for a family day out at the Condado Lagoon Estuarine Nature Reserve on Saturday, August 2, 2025, starting at 3:00 pm at Jaime Benítez Park. We'll have a sports activity, educational games, an educational talk, a tour of the Reserve, and opportunities to earn Green Touch hours or community service, as applicable.
See more information at: estuary.org/eventsThe family day out takes place on the first Saturday of each month.
Estuary Cinema presents: Dune: Part Two
Estuary Cinema presents Dune: Part Two (2024) on Saturday, August 2, 2025, at 7:00 pm in Jaime Benítez Park at the Condado Lagoon Estuarine Nature Reserve. The film will be shown in Spanish with English subtitles. This screening is free. Bring your blanket or chair! Estuary Cinema is presented on the first Saturday of every month.
Learn about and discuss the proposed actions to improve the infrastructure of the San Juan metropolitan region
The recording of the presentation of the proposed actions within Action Plan #1: Infrastructure of the Estuary Plan review is now available. The video is a tool to help you familiarize yourself with the actions, identify those of particular importance to you and your community, and focus your review of the document.
Action Plan #1: Infrastructure of the Estuary Plan review proposes 52 actions to improve and maintain the outdated and dilapidated gray and green infrastructure that negatively impacts water quality.
We urge all citizens, scientists, experts, and other interested parties to review it and share their questions, concerns, additions, and other comments on or before Friday, August 15, 2025.
Your opinion can:
💧 Improve water quality
🌳 Increase the amount of green areas
🌊 Prevent flooding
🪸 Restore ecosystems
Join us in shaping the future of the waterways in the San Juan metropolitan area. The Estuary Plan belongs to everyone, because we all live with the Estuary. We look forward to seeing you there!
Enroll in the graduate course: CIAM 8990 – Innovative Approaches to a Sustainable Water Infrastructure
University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras Campus
Faculty of Natural Sciences | Department of Environmental Sciences
Graduate Course: CIAM 8990 – Section 033
Semester from August to December 2025
Friday, 9:00 am – 11:50 am @ Room C-221
Credits: 3
An opportunity for interdisciplinary research from the Juan Méndez Ravine
This theoretical and practical course, developed in partnership with the San Juan Bay Estuary, proposes an innovative approach to the analysis and planning of resilient water infrastructure in urban contexts. Through the case study of the Juan Méndez Ravine, knowledge of the social, ecological, and technological context will be integrated to formulate research proposals.
Course objectives:
Strengthen interdisciplinary research and analysis skills
Explore participatory planning approaches with communities and government entities (state and municipal)
Design proposals for sustainable management and resilient infrastructure contextualized to the reality of Puerto Rico
Participate in field visits, workshops, and collaborative exercises
Who is it for?
The course is open to Master's and PhD students from various disciplines, including: Environmental Science, Planning, Engineering, Architecture, Social Sciences and related fields.
Academic and professional opportunities
Expert advice for the development of proposals applicable to theses or research projects
Opportunity to compete for a Fellowship sponsored by the Estuary (limited places)
Direct collaboration with the Estuary's team of experts
Participation in field trips through the Juan Méndez Ravine basin
Register for the information session with Prof. Jorge Ortiz-Zayas and Brenda Torres Barreto, Course TA and Executive Director of the Estuary, on July 29 through the events portal on the Estuary website: estuary.org/events
Contact information:
Prof. Jorge Ortiz-Zayas – [email protected]
Urban tour in Old San Juan
Join us on the urban tour: Discovering the connections between the city's water and the estuary's water; Saturday, August 9, 2025, from 8:00 am to 10:00 am in Old San Juan.
This activity counts towards Green Touch/community service hours.
Register today at estuary.org/events.
Request for Proposal: County Lagoon Coastal Erosion Mitigation Project – FEMA HMGP Project No. 4339-0230
Estuary is requesting proposals from experienced landscape architecture and environmental engineering firms with a proven and successful track record to conduct Phase 1 of the Condado Lagoon Coastal Mitigation Project (the Project). The Project aims to address the critical issue of coastal erosion along the southern shoreline of the Condado Lagoon, particularly from stormwater runoff and other inland sources, exacerbated by Hurricane María and other extreme weather events. This initiative aligns with the Government of Puerto Rico's Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan for the San Juan Bay Estuary and the Management Plan for the Condado Lagoon Estuarine Natural Reserve.
See the RFP at estuary.org/jobs.
Request for Qualifications: Relaunch an Advertising Campaign to Educate About the Importance of Interconnections Between Green Infrastructure, Illicit Discharges, and Water Quality Across the San Juan Bay Estuary
Estuario is seeking professional consultant(s) to develop and execute a relaunch of the educational campaign, “Con el Estuario Convivimos”, which highlights the importance of interconnections between green infrastructure, illicit discharges, and water quality across the San Juan Bay Estuary. As part of this relaunch, the consultant(s) will be expected to produce two additional videos focused on waste management.
See the RFQ at estuary.org/jobs.
Premiere of the documentary: Water Strike
The award-winning documentary premieres this coming August 7th at the Fine Arts theaters of Caribbean Cinemas. Water Jet, led by Estuary ally Carla Cavina.
The documentary reflects on our vision of progress and how it has transformed in times of Climate Change, focusing on the personal and collective experience lived in Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria in 2017.
Support local cinema! You'll be able to see showtimes, HERE.
Environmental education in Puente Blanco
On Thursday, July 10, the Estuary offered educational workshops as part of the Puente Blanco Organized Community Learning Summer in Cataño, impacting 47 students of various ages.
The activities included talks about the ecosystems of the Estuary basin and the importance of proper vegetable oil management to protect sanitation infrastructure.
With the youngest children, the topic was explored through interactive activities and reading the story: Canito, the fishing bat...fostering the connection between home, nature, and community action. Congratulations!
Learn more about the actions for the integrated management of resources and waste in the Estuary, at estuary.orgCoordinate your educational activity by writing to: [email protected].
Estuary at the Pop-up Recycling event in Loíza
Last Saturday, July 19, the Estuary participated in the Recycling Pop-up, a monthly event by LimPiaR and the Municipality of Loíza in Miguel Fuentes Pinet Park, promoting the campaign. Leave a clean footprint in Piñones.
Our educational panel discussed the impact of vegetable oil on infrastructure and water quality, and highlighted the municipality's oil recycling program. Opportunities for participation in our initiatives were also shared.
We thank LimPiaR and the Municipality of Loíza for promoting these efforts.
Citizen Scientist Certification
Below are the activities scheduled for the coming weeks. See more information at estuary.org/cccThese activities count towards community service hours and Green Contact hours.
Water Quality Monitoring Module
Water Quality Monitoring Workshop: Bacteriological Monitoring; on Thursday, August 7, at 7:00 pm via Zoom
Microplastics Characterization and Reduction Module
Microplastics Characterization and Reduction Workshop; on Thursday, August 14, at 7:00 pm via Zoom
Coastal Resilience Module
Coastal Resilience Field Experience: Planting coastal vegetation; Sunday, July 27, at 8:00 am in Piñones, Loíza
Coastal Resilience Field Experience: Planting coastal vegetation; Saturday, August 2nd, at 8:00 am in Piñones, Loíza
Coastal Resilience Workshop: Ecological Assessment of Coral Reefs and Seagrasses; on Tuesday, August 5, at 7:00 pm via Zoom
Coastal Resilience Field Experience: Ecological Assessment of Coral Reefs; Saturday, August 9, at 8:00 am at County Lagoon
Coastal Resilience Field Experience: Ecological Assessment of Seagrasses; Saturday, August 9, at 12:00 pm at County Lagoon
Media coverage
July 21, 2025. Brenda Torres Barreto. Uniting to Change. Point of View. El Nuevo Día. p. 21.
July 21, 2025. Brenda Torres Barreto. Puerto Rico: Uniting to Change. Opinion. El Nuevo Día. Web. https://www.elnuevodia.com/opinion/punto-de-vista/puerto-rico-unirse-para-cambiar/
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
Thanks to the volunteers who supported the bacteriological monitoring on Thursday, July 24, 2025, Alexia Torres and Adrián González, as part of the Water Quality Monitoring module of the Estuary Citizen Scientist Certification. The results are below.
Assessment conducted on Thursday, July 24, 2025. We have a GREEN 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.
