Estuario Weekly Update
We invite you to the next family day in the Condado Lagoon Natural Estuarine Reserve and to the opening of the exhibition El Estuario no está quieto, by artist-in-residence, Antonio Martorell and his Friends. See also more activities scheduled in benefit of the conservation and management of the waters and communities connected to the San Juan Bay Estuary (SJBE), including capacity-building and professional growth opportunities, below.
Family Day
Join us for the next San Juan Bay Estuary Partnership (SJBEP) Family Day at the Condado Lagoon Natural Estuarine Reserve, on Saturday, August 1, 2026, starting at 2:00 p.m. at Jaime Benitez Park. We will have the following activities:
[2:00 p.m.] Sports activity – Enjoy a fun game of badminton with friends and family
[3:00 p.m.] Talk about the SJBEP – Did you know that the SJBEP restores and conserves the water quality of several municipalities in the Puerto Rico metropolitan area? Join us and learn more about our offerings, projects, and how to get involved (counts for Contacto Verde/community service hours)
[3:30 p.m.] Red Mangrove Seed Collection Activity – Join this propagule collection in the Reserve and contribute to the protection of our coasts (Contacto Verde/community service).
[5:00 p.m.] Educational Talk: Importance of Mangrove Ecosystems in the Estuary Watershed – Learn about the importance of mangroves, how to plant them, and protect them (Contacto Verde/community service).
[6:00 p.m.] Interpretive Tour: The Mangroves of the Condado Lagoon Estuarine Nature Reserve and Their Connection to Water Quality – If you want to delve deeper into the topic of mangroves and learn about their relationship to water quality, as well as their conservation challenges and opportunities, don’t miss this tour (Contacto Verde/community service).
See you at Jaime Benítez Park! All minors must be accompanied by an adult. No registration is required. Any questions or comments, write to us at: [email protected]
Cine del Estuario
Cine del Estuario presents: Elio; on Saturday, August 1, 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.
Bring your blanket or chair!
See the exhibition: El Estuario no está quieto
We share with you the invitation of the Estuary’s resident artist, Antonio Martorell and his Friends, to the exhibition, El Estuario no está quieto (The Estuary isn’t quiet), on Saturday, August 8, 2026, starting at 1:00 p.m. at Taller Comunidad La Goyco.
The SJBEP Artist-in-Residence initiative offers a unique opportunity for resilient communities in the SJBE watershed to be part of the restoration and conservation of this nationally important ecosystem. The collective of artists offered by maestro Martorell joins the artists-in-residence of past years, who, since 2018, have employed various creative ways to foster connection and experimentation between communities through art. Don’t miss the result of this historic residence!
Saturday, August 8, 2026
[1:00 p.m.] Opening and welcome cocktail
[2:00 p.m.] “Atemporal (Timeless)” puppet intervention with Vueltabajo Teatro
[4:00 p.m.] Riestra y los Bohíques in concert
Taller Comunidad La Goyco (1763 Calle Loíza, San Juan, PR 00911)
Free admission to the public. The exhibition will remain open until August 27, 2026.
See you there!
Employment opportunity
Professional Services Contract Opportunity
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 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 Juan Méndez Creek 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]
Submit your comment on the CCMP action plans
On April 15, 2026, we completed the approval of the drafts of the five SJBE Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan (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 until July 30, 2026.
We invite you to review the documents and submit your comments before the new deadline.
Certification for Citizen Scientists
Below are the activities for the coming weeks. Remember that the 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
Water Quality Monitoring Workshop: Bacteriological monitoring; Thursday, August 6, at 7:00 p.m. via Zoom
Coastal Resilience Module
Field experience: Planting coastal vegetation; Saturday, August 1, at 8:00 a.m. at the Condado Lagoon
Coastal Resilience Workshop: Ecological restoration of dunes and mangroves; Tuesday, August 4, at 7:00 p.m. on Zoom
Field experience: Planting coastal vegetation; Saturday, August 8, at 8:00 a.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
Thanks to the volunteers who supported the bacteriological monitoring in the Condado Lagoon of Thursday, July 23, 2026, as part of the SJBEP Certification for Citizen Scientists’ Water Quality Monitoring module. Up next, the results.
Evaluation carried out on Thursday, July 23, 2026. We have a GREEN flag for the Condado Lagoon. We recommend avoiding the coastal 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.
