Estuario Weekly Update
This week, we share more actions and opportunities to continue taking care of the waters and ecosystems connected to the San Juan Bay Estuary (SJBE). We appreciate the commitment of all the individuals, communities, and partners who have been part of our efforts throughout 2025. In this time of reflection and gathering, we wish you a happy holiday season, full of well-being, hope and connection with nature.
The most recent Family Day was a success
The Family Day on December 6 began with a printing workshop with linoleum on reused textiles, led by the student artist, Camila Meléndez Cruz. The participants stamped T-shirts and scraps of fabric using estuarine images, such as the manatee, the green sea turtle and pelicans.
We took a tour with botanist Mario García, where we learned about the diversity and importance of the Condado Lagoon Natural Estuarine Reserve’s flora and how it supports the conservation of the quality of the waters of the SJBE.
The arborist, Andreína Alexatos, facilitated the workshop on Coastal Resilience: Ecological Restoration of Dunes and Mangroves, where we learned about the importance of mangroves and dunes for the strength of our coasts and water quality.
The Family Day closed with Cine del Estuario, during which we enjoyed the movie Superman (2025). The next Family Day at the Condado Lagoon Natural Estuarine Reserve will be on Saturday, February 7, 2026. See you then!
Gamaliel Pagán Hernández Christmas Bird Census
The Gamaliel Pagán Hernández Christmas Bird Census is back!
Join us as we assess the health of the ecosystems connected to the SJBE through the count and documentation of endemic and migratory birds. Censuses begin Friday, December 26, 2025, and continue through Saturday, January 10, 2026.
The censuses will count toward Contacto Verde or community service hours. View the calendar and sign up today, at estuario.org/eventos.
Developing sustainable water infrastructure
This December 2025, we finished the course: Innovative approaches to sustainable water infrastructure, of the Department of Environmental Sciences of the University of Puerto Rico, for the third time. This semester, with the Juan Méndez creek as research site, five graduate students studied the social, ecological and technological aspects that influence and shape bodies of water in urban areas. They conducted a health survey to identify potential sources of contamination across the basin and, as a final project, developed and submitted a research proposal.
Dr. Jorge Ortiz led the course, with the support of Dr. Rivera Santos and Brenda Torres Barreto, Estuario’s Executive Director. The Resilient Infrastructure Manager, Lourdes Pérez Medina, and the Project Officer for Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, Sofía Burgos Caraballo, assisted in its coordination and progress. The course received the support of grant 4T-96213322-2.
Professional Services Contract Opportunity
Certification for Citizen Scientists
Below are the activities scheduled for the coming weeks. The Estuario Certification for Citizen Scientists’ workshops and field experiences count toward Contacto Verde or community service hours, as applicable. See more information at: estuario.org/ccc.
Participatory Bird Census
Participatory Bird Census Workshop; Tuesday, December 23, at 7:00 p.m. through Zoom
Coastal Resilience
Field experience: Planting coastal vegetation; Saturday, December 20, at 8:00 a.m. in Piñones
Weekly water quality monitoring
Evaluation carried out on Thursday, December 18, 2025. We have a RED flag for the Condado Lagoon. We recommend avoiding the 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.
