Estuario Weekly Update
This week, we share with you the upcoming activities and opportunities for action in benefit of the restoration and management of the waters connected to the San Juan Bay Estuary (SJBE); from our family day to the upcoming Certification for Citizen Scientists’ workshops and field experiences. Come to the discussion tables about the supporting documents for the new Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan (CCMP) and take advantage of the action plans’ public comment period extension. See the available training and professional development opportunities as well. Keep reading!
Family Day
San Juan Bay Estuary Partnership (SJBEP) invites you to the Family Day at the Condado Lagoon Natural Estuarine Reserve, on Saturday, July 11, 2026, starting at 2:30 p.m. on the grounds of the Jaime Benítez Park. We will have several opportunities to accumulate Contacto Verde or community service hours, including a ground cleanup, a tour of the Lagoon, and a talk about our entity. See the agenda of activities, at: estuario.org/eventos.
Minors must be always accompanied by an adult. If you have any questions or comments, email us at: [email protected]
Join the cleanup of the Condado Lagoon Natural Estuarine Reserve
Join the SJBEP team on a ground cleanup around the Lagoon on Saturday, July 11, as part of the Family Day. We will begin at 4:00 p.m., starting from the Jaime Benítez Park pavilion. This activity will count toward Contacto Verde or community service hours. See you there!
Cine del Estuario
Cine del Estuario presents: Wicked: For Good; on Saturday, July 11, 2026, at 7:00 p.m. at the Jaime Benítez Park of the Condado Lagoon Natural Estuarine Reserve. The film will be screened in Spanish, with English subtitles. This feature is free of charge. No registration is required. Bring your blanket or chair!
Join the discussion tables on the supporting documents of the new CCMP
SJBEP invites citizens, government agencies, municipalities, community organizations, academia, and other interested sectors to participate in the discussion tables that will be held on Monday, July 13, 2026, as part of the public comment period of the four supporting documents of the new CCMP.
There will be four discussion tables during the day, one for each document:
Monitoring Plan | from 9:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.
Habitat Restoration Strategy | 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Financial Strategy | 2:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Communication Strategy & Community Outreach | from 4:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.
The meetings will be held in a hybrid manner from the SJBEP office (1315 Avenida Ponce de León, San Juan, PR 00907; third floor) with virtual space via Zoom.
Supporting documents will remain available for public comment until August 11, 2026. We encourage you to download them, review them and participate in the discussion tables. All documents are available HERE.
Public Comment Period on CCMP Action Plans Extended
On April 15, 2026, we completed the approval of the drafts of the five CCMP Action Plans. The public hearing was held on June 16, thus culminating the official public comment period for these documents.
To continue encouraging citizen participation, we have extended the public comment period to July 30, 2026.
We invite you to review the documents and submit your comments before the new deadline.
Come to the Friends of the Lagoon meeting
The next Friends of the Lagoon (Amigos de la Laguna) meeting will be on Wednesday, July 15, 2026, from 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the Jaime Benítez Park of the Condado Lagoon Natural Estuarine Reserve, with virtual space through Zoom. All connoisseurs, merchants, neighbors and users of this natural space are invited.
Get your Zoom access link HERE.
Enroll in the Graduate Course: CIAM 8990
CIAM 8990: Innovative Approaches for Sustainable Water Resource Infrastructure; is an interdisciplinary course integrated into multiple sectors for the study of Socio-Ecological-Technological Systems (SETs). The project to revert the channeling of the Quebrada Juan Méndez (Juan Méndez Creek) will be presented as a case study and space to apply knowledge.
It seeks to offer and bring the student closer to the theory and tools to address aspects related to SETs when conducting research that promotes the resilience of highly vulnerable regions. The course is theoretical-practical and will integrate and apply the concepts of “systems thinking”, “collaborative work”, “integration with communities” and “interdisciplinary research”.
The course is open to graduate students from multiple faculties and programs (e.g. Natural Sciences, Planning, Social Sciences, Architecture, Engineering, Public Health).
At the end of the course, students will create a research proposal using the Quebrada Juan Méndez as a case study to compete for a 1-year scholarship (stipend) ($20,000 master’s, $30,000 doctorate). For more information, contact Dr. Jorge Ortiz Zayas (Dept. of Environmental Sciences, UPR-Río Piedras) at: [email protected]
Professional Services Contract Opportunities
Volunteers collect seeds for Coastal Resilience
Three volunteers collected red mangrove propagules in the Piñones State Forest on Sunday, June 28, 2026, as part of the SJBEP Certification for Citizen Scientists’ Coastal Resilience module. The activity included an interpretive walk through the forest, where we talked about the importance of green and natural infrastructure to protect our coastal areas. They collected about 461 propagules that will be used in future plantings. Thank you to these volunteers for their environmental commitment!
Certification for Citizen Scientists
Below are the activities for the coming weeks. Remember that these workshops and field experiences count toward Contacto Verde or community service hours. Minors must be accompanied by an adult, who must register separately. See more information and register, at: estuario.org/ccc
Water Quality Monitoring Module
Field Experience: Bacteriological Monitoring; Thursday, July 16, at 9:30 a.m. at the Condado Lagoon
Water Quality Monitoring Workshop: Physical-chemical parameters; Thursday, July 16, at 7:00 p.m. via Zoom
Field Experience: Bacteriological Monitoring; Thursday, July 23, at 9:30 a.m. at the Condado Lagoon
Coastal Resilience Module
Field Experience: Ecological Assessment of Coral Reefs; Saturday, July 18, at 8:00 a.m. at the Condado Lagoon
Field Experience: Ecological Assessment of Seagrasses; Saturday, July 18, at 12:00 p.m. at the Condado Lagoon
Prepare for Hurricane Season
This 2026 hurricane season, SJBEP urges you to be prepared. Download the Community Hurricane Preparedness Guide and follow its recommendations. Protecting your community starts at home.
Also visit the Estuario Virtual Community Hub, where you’ll find vital information such as relevant emergency numbers and instructions for preparing emergency backpacks.
Don’t be scared! Get prepared.
Weekly water quality monitoring
Evaluation carried out Thursday, July 9, 2026. We have a GREEN flag for the Condado Lagoon. We recommend avoiding the areas that exceeded the “Beach Action Value” water quality parameter for 70 CFU/100 ML enterococci. Remember to avoid the water during rain events.
