Estuario Weekly Update
Estuarine greetings! As every week, we share with you the activities, collaborations and opportunities that strengthen our mission of conserving the bodies of water and the well-being of the communities connected to the San Juan Bay Estuary (SJBE). Thank you for staying connected and being a part of this collective effort.
Family Day
Join us for the next Estuario Family Day, on Saturday, July 5, 2025, at the Condado Lagoon Natural Estuarine Reserve, celebrating a plastic-free summer on the grounds of Jaime Benítez Park. We will have the following activities:
Installation of “No Fishing” signs in the Lagoon: Cuidemos la Reserva Natural Estuarina de la Laguna del Condado (Contacto Verde/community service); at 1:00 p.m.
Educational Talk: Impacto de la enfermedad de pérdida de tejido en corales duros (Contacto Verde/Community Service); at 3:00 p.m.
Underwater Tour: Descubriendo los arrecifes urbanos (Contacto Verde/Community Service); at 4:30 p.m. This activity has a limited number of 12 participants and requires separate registration.
Interpretive Tour: Las plantas de la Reserva Natural Estuarina de la Laguna del Condado y su conexión con el agua (Green Contact/community service); at 4:30 p.m. as well.
Educational Talk: Ley 51-2022—Ley para prohibir el expendio y utilización de plásticos de un solo uso (Contacto Verde/Community Service); at 5:30 p.m.
Join with your family and friends! All activities are free of charge. It is not necessary to register to participate (except, in this case, the Underwater Tour, which has a capacity of 12 people and requires registration). The Estuario Family Day takes place on the first Saturday of each month.
Cine del Estuario
Cine del Estuario presents: Inside Out 2; on Saturday, July 5, 2025, at 7:00 p.m. in 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. Cine del Estuario is presented on the first Saturday of each month.
Save the Date: Cleanup at Condado Lagoon
On Saturday, July 12, 2025, at 3:00 p.m., the San Juan Bay Estuary Partnership (SJBEP) will be present at the event: Un sunset diferente en la Reserva Natural Estuarina de la Laguna del Condado; led by the group Sin Plástico.
As part of the event, a cleanup will be held in the Baldorioty Monument area, south of the Condado Lagoon Natural Estuarine Reserve.
Save the date! We will soon share the registration form.
Workshop for educators
The SJBEP invites educators from public and private schools or homeschoolers of all levels to the workshop: Agua + árboles para conservar nuestros ecosistemas estuarinos; on Friday, July 11, 2025, from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. at the Jaime Benítez Park of the Condado Lagoon Natural Estuarine Reserve. We will discuss the connection of water and trees to the ecosystems of the SJBE watershed.
The first part of this workshop will be a review of basic concepts about flora and water quality. The second part will be a botanical tour where we will learn about the identification of some species of trees and their relationship with water quality.
Sign up today, at estuario.org/eventos.
Urban trail in Capetillo
Join us on the urban trail: Descubriendo las conexiones entre el agua de la ciudad y del estuario; on Saturday, July 12, 2025, from 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. in Capetillo, Río Piedras.
This activity counts toward Contacto Verde/community service hours. Sign up today, at estuario.org/eventos.
Characterization of microplastics
On Friday, June 27, 2025, we carried out the most recent field experience for the Microplastics Characterization and Reduction module of the Estuario Certification for Citizen Scientists. We thank Carmen de Jesús, Christopher Orozco, Nidia Matos and Louisa Witting for their participation.
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 service and Contacto Verde hours.
Water Quality Monitoring Module
Water Quality Monitoring Workshop: Bacteriological monitoring; Monday, July 7, at 7:00 p.m. via Zoom
Water Quality Monitoring Field Experience: Bacteriological monitoring; Thursday, July 10, at 9:30 a.m. at the Condado Lagoon
Water Quality Monitoring Workshop: Physical-chemical parameters; Thursday, July 10, at 7:00 p.m. via Zoom
Field Experience of Water Quality Monitoring: Physical-chemical parameters; Monday, July 14, at 8:00 a.m. at Lake Las Curías and Río Piedras
Field Experience of Water Quality Monitoring: Physical-chemical parameters; Tuesday, July 15, at 9:00 a.m. at San Juan Bay
Field Experience of Water Quality Monitoring: Physical-chemical parameters; on Wednesday, July 16, at Laguna San José
Water Quality Monitoring Field Experience: Bacteriological monitoring; Thursday, July 17, at 9:30 a.m. at the Condado Lagoon
Microplastics Characterization and Reduction Module
Workshop on Characterization and Reduction of Microplastics; Thursday, July 17, at 7:00 p.m. via Zoom
Coastal Resilience Module
Coastal Resilience Workshop: Ecological Assessment of Coral Reefs and Seagrasses; Tuesday, July 8, at 7:00 p.m. via Zoom
Coastal Resilience Field Experience: Ecological Assessment of Coral Reefs; Saturday, July 12, at 8:00 a.m. at the Condado Lagoon
Coastal Resilience Field Experience: Planting of coastal vegetation; Saturday, July 12, at 8:00 a.m. at the Condado Lagoon
Coastal Resilience Field Experience: Ecological Assessment of Seagrasses; Saturday, July 12, at 12:00 p.m. at the Condado Lagoon
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
We recognize the environmental commitment of the citizen scientists who completed this week’s assessment, led by the coordinator, Rebeca Rivera. Here are the results.
Evaluation carried out on Thursday, July 3, 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.
