Update March, 2012: Things that until now are large-scale remedial actions, right now in the 2010-2012 has to be taking very seriously since we have to be getting a dredging of navigation channels of the Bay of San Juan by the amount of tens of thousands of cubic yards of sediment reaching the Bay. Every 5 years the Corps of Engineers of the United States, takes an average of $ 7 to $ 10 million to dredge navigation channels. If not, Puerto Rico would stay isolated in terms of movement of goods. They could not get the cruise or cargo ships to enter Puerto Rico waters. The maritime freight traffic would be interrupted. This could be a priority and should be seen as a priority. What we need is a remedial action, there has been concerted action to prevent sediment discharge. Then you south of the in Chiclana area that there are a number of disposal with permission from the Environmental Quality Board, construction companies are pulling dirt, mud, in the area of Caimito, specifically where the Chiclana Creek is located, there are communities that are receiving discharges of mud and soil continously. There are contractors who are permitted to deposit there. JCA put a cease and desist, but the old ARPE given permission to 5 years, while for discharges of sediment in the area of Chiclana, the problem is that when it rains, all that drags sediment beyond Chiclana flows then to the Rio Piedras river to the Puerto Nuevo river and then flows into the bay and then have to ask for federal funds to get that sediment which is profiting from a contractor to throw south of the city. So, we have a vicious cycle of collecting the stones in the mixing zone that we are pulling from the south of the city. We have tried to intervene and there has been a result in this particular case this is not the only problem, there are many others, but in terms of what is available or sediment has begun to talk about this. What they made are remedial actions to seek $ 7 to $ 10 million every 5 years to do the dredging.  We need to find a solution to this problem now.

Update January 2010: This action is tied in to studies that have already been completed, like the benthic index and  the one for seagrass that is in Request for Proposal process

Previous update:  The SJBEP, through partnerships with EQB, USGS, the University of Puerto Rico, and community groups, is currently identifying problem areas in the SJBE and its watershed.  As preventive measures, the Partnership has participated and organized numerous reforestation activities throughout the SJBE watershed.  Additionally, the SJBEP strongly recommends sustainable methods for sediment minimization during construction projects, as well as after these are completed.