Weekly Estuary Update
Greetings from the estuary! Below, we share events, initiatives, and training and collaboration opportunities scheduled to benefit the waters, ecosystems, and communities connected to the San Juan Bay estuary.
5K Estuary in the Botanical Garden
On Sunday, March 23, over 700 runners joined the first Estuary 5K, running along the trails of the Rio Piedras Botanical Garden and taking steps towards the restoration and management of the waters of the Metropolitan Area of Puerto Rico.
We thank the Botanical Garden of the University of Puerto Rico in Río Piedras for their close collaboration in providing this natural space; Plaza Las Américas, Motorambar, Paulson Puerto Rico, Strong Physical Therapy & Performance, Ferraiuoli and Aerostar for their key support; En La Meta for their support in providing race numbers and t-shirts; El Angel Ice Plant for offering the ice needed for medical support; the Department of Natural and Environmental Resources for providing parking; and the Municipality of San Juan for supporting us with ambulances and waste disposal.
Our sincerest thanks to Freddy of Freddy Runners, who, as technical director of the Estuary 5K, developed the course in the beautiful Botanical Garden of the University of Puerto Rico in Río Piedras. Thanks to his expertise and contribution, the runners enjoyed a unique route, surrounded by nature and designed to highlight the beauty of this environment. His commitment and dedication made this an unforgettable experience. Thank you for being part of this race for the restoration and management of our waters!
Thank you to every runner and volunteer for being part of this event and for showing that together, we can protect and restore our waters. For access to clean and safe water for all!
Puerto Rico Water Quality Day
Eight days to go! The 17th Puerto Rico Water Quality Day will be on Saturday, April 5, 2025, from 9:00 am to 11:00 am at a body of water near you. Are you ready?
If you didn't get your water quality assessment kit, no problem. Join one of the stations open to the general public, where you can join other citizen scientists and be part of this initiative. Choose the location most convenient for you on the event portal: estuary.org/waterqualityday.
During Puerto Rico Water Quality Day, you will assess the conditions of your chosen body of water, collect data from your observations, and submit your results. The Estuary will provide all the necessary materials for your assessment, free of charge. We are still offering training workshops in various locations across the island and virtually.
We appreciate the continued support of Ford Environmental Donations and their commitment to the environment of Puerto Rico.
Support the Estuary with your Refund
This tax season, consider donating part of your refund to efforts to eliminate sewage discharges into beloved bodies of water like Condado Lagoon and beaches. You'll also be supporting the restoration of San Juan Bay, the canals connecting the lagoons in the San Juan metropolitan area, and management projects for this vital ecosystem.
Look for the option “Contribution to the Special Fund for the San Juan Bay Estuary,” which – for individuals and corporations – you will find on the line 1B of the boxing “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 methods available to donate to the Estuary at estuary.org/donate/.
Family day out at the County Lagoon Estuarine Nature Reserve
Join us for the next Family Day Out at the Condado Lagoon Estuarine Nature Reserve on Saturday, April 5, 2025, at Jaime Benítez Park. We will have the following activities:
[9:00 am] Water Quality Monitoring Educational Activity – Celebrate the seventeenth Puerto Rico Water Quality Day at Condado Lagoon, where there will be a monitoring station open to the public. Learn how this monitoring is done and why it is important (this can be credited as a Green Contact or community service).
[10:00 am] Water quality monitoring educational activity (Green Contact/community service)
[2:00 pm] Sports activity – we will have a badminton game
[3:00 pm] Educational games related to water quality – learn while enjoying educational games.
[4:30 pm] Interpretive Walk: The Water of the County Lagoon Estuarine Nature Reserve – We will guide you on an interesting walk, where we will learn about the interconnectivity between water and the city (Green Contact).
[5:30 pm] Trivia about water quality in the County Lagoon Estuarine Nature Reserve – Test what you learned on the hike (Green Contact).
All activities are free of charge. No registration is required. Some activities may be eligible for Green Contact time or community service, as applicable. Don't miss out! Come with your family and friends.
Estuary Cinema
Estuary Cinema presents: The Wild Robot; Saturday, April 5, 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!
Interpretive tour in the Urban Forest Network
On Saturday, March 15, 2025, the Estuary offered an interpretive tour themed “Discovering the Nature of Urban Forests” in Julio E. Monagas Park in Bayamón. During this experience, our environmental interpreters guided participants along trails in an urban forest located in the Karst region, where they had the opportunity to connect with the history, flora, and fauna and learn how this natural space interacts with the waters of the San Juan Bay estuary.
We thank everyone who was part of this adventure in nature, especially the young scouts and leaders of troop 505, who helped make this journey an even more special experience.
More interpretive walks are planned in the urban forests of our estuarine watershed. We'll announce the dates on our social media channels and with weekly updates. Stay tuned!
Julio E. Monagas Park is part of the Estuary Urban Forest Network. Learn more about the network and its green spaces at estuary.org/pasaporte.
Certification of scientific citizens
Below are the scheduled activities for the coming weeks. See more information at estuary.org/ccc.
Participatory Bird Census Module
Field experience; Friday, April 4, from 7:00 am to 10:00 am at Luis Muñoz Rivera Park and El Escambrón Spa
Participatory Bird Census Module Workshop ; Thursday, April 10, from 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm via Zoom
Microplastics Characterization and Reduction Module
Workshop for the Microplastics Characterization and Reduction module ; Thursday, April 3, from 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm via Zoom
See more information at: estuary.org/ccc.
Media coverage
March 24, 2025. Resounding success of the first Estuary 5K at the Río Piedras Botanical Garden. Environment. Ey Boricua. Web. https://eyboricua.com/noticias/ambiente/exito-rotundo-del-primer-5k-del-estuario-en-el-jardin-botanico-de-rio-piedras/
March 24, 2025. The first edition of the Estuary 5K at the Botanical Garden was a success. Sports. NotiCel. Web. https://www.noticel.com/deportes/20250324/exitosa-la-primera-edicion-del-5k-del-estuario-en-el-jardin-botanico/
March 23, 2025. They celebrate the first "Estuary 5K." Telemundo Puerto Rico. https://youtu.be/eoYvvQsW0Mg
Weekly bacteriological monitoring
Evaluation conducted on Thursday, March 27, 2025. We have a GREEN flag for County Lagoon. All stations tested within the "Beach Action Value" water quality parameter of 70 CFU/100 ML. Remember to avoid the water during rain events.
