Weekly Estuary Update
This week, we're providing you with more educational opportunities and highlighting actions taken to benefit the ecosystems connected to the San Juan Bay estuary. Join our initiatives!
National Estuaries Week
National Estuary Week continues! We thank all the volunteers, citizen scientists, and friends of the San Juan Bay estuary who have supported this week's activities.
Explore the estuary
The celebration concludes with the third annual biodiversity documentation event at the Condado Lagoon Estuarine Nature Reserve, Exploring the Estuary, on Saturday, September 27. Documentation efforts will be divided into groups:
Marine Life Documentation [8:00 am – 10:00 am]
Documentation of plants and terrestrial life [8:00 am – 10:00 am]
Documentation of plants and terrestrial life [10:00 am – 12:00 pm]
Documentation of plants and terrestrial life [2:00 pm – 4:00 pm]
Documentation of plants and terrestrial life [4:00 pm – 6:00 pm]
Documentation of nocturnal fauna [6:00 pm – 10:00 pm]
There are still spaces available. Choose a group and register today at estuary.org/events.
Family day out
A new family day out is coming to the Condado Lagoon Estuarine Nature Reserve. On Saturday, October 4th, we'll be focusing on the bats that inhabit the estuary's ecosystems, starting at 3:30 pm at Jaime Benítez Park. Don't miss a sports activity, educational games, an educational talk about bats, a reading of the story "Canito, the Fishing Bat," and trivia for the whole family.
The family day out is free. We have opportunities to earn Green Touch hours or community service, as applicable. See more information at: estuary.org/events. We will wait for you!
Estuary Cinema
Estuary Cinema presents: Beetlejuice; Saturday, October 4, 2025, at 7:00 pm at Jaime Benítez Park in 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.
International Coastal Cleanup 2025
On Saturday, September 20, the start of National Estuary Week, a total of 103 volunteers recovered 38 bags containing 638 lbs. or more than 2,900 items from the Condado Lagoon Estuarine Nature Reserve as part of the 40th International Coastal Cleanup. It was a morning of high energy, collaboration, and education.
Thank you to all the volunteers who came out this morning, and to the following organizations: Escuela Nueva Pedagogía, Paradiso College Preparatory, Juan Antonio Corretjer School, Trina Padilla School, Marista School, Puerto Rican Girls' School, Puerto Rican Canoeing Federation, Miguel Such Vocational School, San Ignacio School, Ana G. Méndez University, Amigos de la Laguna, Puerto Rico Paddle Board League, University High School, the Municipality of San Juan, and the organizers: Scuba Dogs Society. Until next time!
Inauguration of the Estuary Nursery
On Thursday, September 25, 2025, in close collaboration with the Ricky Martin Foundation, Estuario inaugurated Vivero Estuario, located at Centro TAU in Loíza. This space addresses the need to strengthen and conserve coastal ecosystems that help mitigate the impacts of severe weather events and reverse environmental damage. Vivero Estuario will be a community learning center for exchanging knowledge about planting and monitoring coastal vegetation used in the restoration of sand dunes, mangroves, and other ecosystems, among other purposes.
Estuario thanks all the collaborators, friends, volunteers, and citizen scientists who came together to celebrate this important achievement. Congratulations!
Annual meeting for the integrated management of estuary resources and waste
On Tuesday, September 23, the most recent annual meeting of the Intermunicipal Network for Integrated Resource and Waste Management of the San Juan Bay Estuary Basin was held. The meeting focused on continuing education, collaboration, and monitoring efforts for the Network. A total of 44 participants attended, including representatives from the municipalities of Bayamón, Cataño, Guaynabo, Loíza, San Juan, Toa Baja, and Trujillo Alto; members of the Puerto Rico Department of Natural and Environmental Resources; federal representatives from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA); private sector partners from Sun Waste, Reciclaje del Norte, FLRACHES, EDS, ConWaste, and TAIS; and non-governmental organizations such as the Puerto Rico Recycling Partnership, Scuba Dogs Society, the Recycling Museum, and CAMBIO PR.
The Municipality of Guaynabo presented its efforts and infrastructure dedicated to resource and waste management. We had the opportunity to learn firsthand about the facilities, challenges, and future projects, facilitated by municipal and ConWaste staff. The Estuary and the Department of Natural and Environmental Resources (DRNA) presented summaries of their efforts this year. We also had a presentation on the new 100% recycled construction materials industry, by Reciclaje del Norte.
We thank all the representatives from municipalities, agencies, entities, and organizations who joined us for this meeting. The future of sustainable resource and waste management is a collaborative one. Thank you!
Job opportunities and contracts
Job vacancies
Request for proposals
Other professional services contract opportunities
Media coverage
September 21, 2025. Participate in the "Flow with the Estuary" activities. Telenoticias. Telemundo PR. https://youtu.be/CtXaIklbduE
September 24, 2025. Diversity in the San Juan Bay Estuary. Dawn News. WAPA TV. https://youtu.be/t4hsPQmklxo
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
Due to circumstances beyond our control, we do not have the results of the bacteriological monitoring of the samples taken on Thursday, September 25, 2025. However, we thank the volunteers who supported this week's evaluation.
