Estuario Weekly Update
We start the month of August celebrating mangrove ecosystems in our Family Day! This week, we also invite you to a new screening of Cine del Estuario, learn about the proposed actions to improve the infrastructure of the metropolitan region of San Juan, and explore academic, educational and community opportunities with the San Juan Bay Estuary Partnership (SJBEP). Read on and join us in each initiative.
Family Day at the Condado Lagoon
Join the Family Day at the Condado Lagoon Estuarine Natural Reserve on Saturday, August 2, 2025, starting at 3:00 p.m. at Jaime Benítez Park. We will have a sports activity, educational games, an educational talk, a tour of the Reserve and opportunities to accumulate Contacto Verde hours or community service, as applicable.
See more information at: estuario.org/eventos. Family Day takes place on the first Saturday of each month.
Cine del Estuario presents Dune: Part Two
Cine del Estuario presents Dune: Part Two (2024); on Saturday, August 2, 2025, at 7:00 p.m. in the Jaime Benítez Park of the Condado Lagoon Estuarine Natural Reserve. The film will be screened in Spanish, with English subtitles. This feature is free of charge. Bring your blanket or chair! Cine del Estuario is presented on the first Saturday of each month.
Learn about and comment on the proposed actions to improve the infrastructure of the metropolitan region of San Juan
A recording of the presentation of the proposed actions within Action Plan #1: Infrastructure of the San Juan Bay Estuary (SJBE) Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan (CCMP) Review is now available. The video is a tool to familiarize yourself with the actions, identify those of particular importance to you and your community, and focus your review of the document.
Action Plan #1: Infrastructure of the CCMP revision proposes 52 actions to improve and maintain obsolete and dilapidated gray and green infrastructure that negatively impacts water quality.
We encourage all citizens, scientists, experts, and other interested persons to review it and share their questions, concerns, additions, and other comments on or before Friday, August 15, 2025.
Your opinion may:
💧 Improve water quality
🌳 Increase the number of green areas
🌊 Prevent flooding
🪸 Restore ecosystems
Define with us the future of the waters of the metropolitan region of San Juan. The Plan belongs to everyone, because we live in the Estuary. Hope to see you there!
Enroll in the graduate course: CIAM 8990 – Innovative Approaches for Sustainable Water Infrastructure
University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras Campus
Faculty of Natural Sciences | Department of Environmental Sciences
Graduate Course: CIAM 8990 – Section 033
Fall Semester (August – December) 2025
Friday, 9:00 a.m. – 11:50 a.m. @ Room C-221
Credits: 3
An Interdisciplinary Research Opportunity from the Juan Méndez Creek
This theoretical-practical course, developed in partnership with the SJBEP, proposes an innovative approach to the analysis and planning of resilient water infrastructure in urban contexts. Through the case study of the Juan Méndez Creek, knowledge about its social, ecological and technological context will be integrated for the formulation of research proposals.
Course objectives:
- Strengthen interdisciplinary research and analysis skills
- Explore participatory planning approaches with communities and government entities (state and municipal)
- Design proposals for sustainable management and resilient infrastructure contextualized to the reality of Puerto Rico
- Participate in field visits, workshops, and collaborative exercises
Who is it for?
The course is open to master’s and doctoral students from various disciplines, including Environmental Sciences, Planning, Engineering, Architecture, Social Sciences and related.
Academic and Career Opportunities
- Expert advice for the development of proposals applicable to theses or research projects
- Possibility to compete for an Estuario-sponsored Fellowship (limited places)
- Direct collaboration with the SJBEP’s team of experts
- Participation in field trips through the Juan Méndez Creek basin
Register for the course briefing with Prof. Jorge Ortiz-Zayas and Brenda Torres Barreto, TA of the course and SJBEP executive director, on July 29 via the events portal of the SJBEP’s website: estuario.org/eventos
Contact Information: Prof. Jorge Ortiz-Zayas – [email protected]
Urban trail in Old San Juan
Join us on the urban trail: Discovering the connections between the city’s water and the estuary; on Saturday, August 9, 2025, from 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. in Old San Juan.
This activity counts toward Green Contact/Community Service hours. Sign up today, at estuario.org/eventos.
Request for Proposal: Condado Lagoon Coastal Erosion Mitigation Project – FEMA HMGP Project No. 4339-0230
Estuario is requesting proposals from experienced landscape architecture and environmental engineering firms with a proven and successful track record to conduct Phase 1 of the Condado Lagoon Coastal Mitigation Project (the Project). The Project aims to address the critical issue of coastal erosion along the southern shoreline of the Condado Lagoon, particularly from stormwater runoff and other inland sources, exacerbated by Hurricane María and other extreme weather events. This initiative aligns with the Government of Puerto Rico’s Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan for the San Juan Bay Estuary and the Management Plan for the Condado Lagoon Estuarine Natural Reserve.
See the RFP at estuario.org/empleos.
Request for Qualifications: Relaunch an Advertising Campaign to Educate About the Importance of Interconnections Between Green Infrastructure, Illicit Discharges, and Water Quality Across the San Juan Bay Estuary
Estuario is seeking professional consultant(s) to develop and execute a relaunch of the educational campaign, “Con el Estuario Convivimos”, which highlights the importance of interconnections between green infrastructure, illicit discharges, and water quality across the San Juan Bay Estuary. As part of this relaunch, the consultant(s) will be expected to produce two additional videos focused on waste management.
See the RFQ at estuario.org/empleos.
Premiere of the documentary: Golpe de Agua
This coming August 7, the award-winning documentary Golpe de Agua, directed by SJBEP ally, Carla Cavina, will premiere on the Caribbean Cinemas Fine Arts theaters.
The documentary reflects on our vision of progress and how it has been transformed in times of Climate Change, focusing on the personal and collective experience lived in Puerto Rico after the passage of Hurricane Maria in 2017.
Support local cinema! You can see the information on the billboard, HERE.
Environmental education in Puente Blanco
On Thursday, July 10, the SJBEP offered educational workshops as part of the Puente Blanco Organized Community Learning Summer in Cataño, impacting 47 students of various ages.
The activities included talks on the ecosystems of the SJBE basin and the importance of proper management of vegetable oil to protect the sanitary infrastructure.
With the little ones, the theme was worked on through interactive dynamics and the reading of the story: Canito, el murciélago pescador, promoting the link between home, nature and community action.
Learn more about the actions for the integrated management of resources and waste of the SJBEP, in estuario.org. Coordinate your educational activity by writing to: [email protected].
SJBEP at the Recycling Pop-up in Loíza
Last Saturday, July 19, the SJBEP participated in the Recycling Pop-up—a monthly event organized by LimPiaR and the Municipality of Loíza—in the Miguel Fuentes Pinet Park, promoting the campaign, Deja una huella limpia en Piñones.
Our educational table provided guidance on the impact of vegetable oil on water quality and its infrastructure and highlighted the municipality’s oil recycling program. Opportunities for participation in our initiatives were also shared.
We thank LimPiaR and the Municipality of Loíza for promoting these efforts.
Certification for Citizen Scientists
Below are the activities scheduled for the coming weeks. See more information in estuario.org/ccc. These activities count toward community and Green Contact hours.
Water Quality Monitoring Module
Water Quality Monitoring Workshop: Bacteriological monitoring; Thursday, August 7, at 7:00 p.m. on Zoom
Microplastics Characterization and Reduction Module
Workshop on Characterization and Reduction of Microplastics; Thursday, August 14, at 7:00 p.m. on Zoom
Coastal Resilience Module
Coastal Resilience Field Experience: Planting coastal vegetation; on Sunday, July 27, at 8:00 a.m. in Piñones, Loíza
Coastal Resilience Field Experience: Planting coastal vegetation; on Saturday, August 2, at 8:00 a.m. in Piñones, Loíza
Coastal Resilience Workshop: Ecological Assessment of Coral Reefs and Seagrasses; Tuesday, August 5, at 7:00 p.m. on Zoom
Coastal Resilience Field Experience: Ecological Assessment of Coral Reefs; Saturday, August 9, at 8:00 a.m. at the Condado Lagoon
Coastal Resilience Field Experience: Ecological Assessment of Seagrasses; Saturday, August 9, at 12:00 p.m. at the Condado Lagoon
Media coverage
July 21, 2025. Brenda Torres Barreto. Unirse para cambiar. Punto de vista. El Nuevo Día. p. 21.
July 21, 2025. Brenda Torres Barreto. Puerto Rico: unirse para cambiar. Opinión. El Nuevo Día. Web. https://www.elnuevodia.com/opinion/punto-de-vista/puerto-rico-unirse-para-cambiar/
Prepare for Hurricane Season
Get ready for this hurricane season. Download the Estuario Community Hurricane Preparedness Guide and follow its recommendations. The strength and resilience of 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 get scared! Get prepared.
Weekly water quality monitoring
Thanks to the volunteers who supported the bacteriological monitoring on Thursday, July 24, 2025, Alexia Torres and Adrián González, as part of the Water Quality Monitoring module of the Estuary Scientific Citizen Certification. See the results below.
Evaluation made on Thursday, July 24, 2025. We have a GREEN flag for the Condado Lagoon. We recommend avoiding the areas that have exceeded the “Beach Action Value” water quality parameter for 70 CFU/100 ML enterococci. Remember to avoid the water during rain events.
