Posted on May 18, 2026
By Lynda Yezzi
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — A groundbreaking ceremony held May 14, 2026, marked the start of Contract 3 Phase 1 of the Caño Martín Peña Ecosystem Restoration Project, an effort led by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Caribbean District; the Corporación del Proyecto ENLACE del Caño Martín Peña; and the Puerto Rico Department of Natural and Environmental Resources. The event represents a major milestone in one of Puerto Rico’s most significant environmental and community‑focused civil works initiatives.
Held at the Israel-Bitumul Community Pavilion in San Juan, the ceremony brought together federal, commonwealth, and community leaders, including Governor Jenniffer González Colón, City of San Juan Mayor Miguel Romero, Grupo de las Ocho Comunidades Aledañas al Caño Martin Peña, Inc. President Awilda Camacho Llanos, Corporación del Proyecto ENLACE del Caño Martín Peña President José G. Barea Fernández, and Fideicomiso de la Tierra del Caño Martín Peña President Sarah J. Delgado Brayfield,
During his remarks at the event, Caribbean District Commander Col. Charles L. Decker emphasized the importance of the moment, noting the new construction phase represents “a major step toward restoring the natural function of the San Juan Bay Estuary and improving quality of life for the more than 25,000 residents who live in the eight communities surrounding the Caño.”
Contract 3 Phase 1, which was awarded on Sept. 30, 2025, marks the official start of full dredging operations. The work includes widening and deepening 0.9 miles of the channel from the eastern end to the Barbosa Bridge, stabilizing the banks with steel sheet pile walls, providing scour protection for the Barbosa Bridge, and preparing confined aquatic disposal pits in the San José Lagoon to safely receive dredged material.
These improvements will help re‑establish the tidal connection between the San José Lagoon and the San Juan Bay, improving dissolved oxygen levels, restoring salinity balance, and revitalizing fish habitat, benthic conditions, and mangrove ecosystems.
For decades, the Caño has been severely clogged, restricting tidal flow and trapping polluted water in surrounding neighborhoods. Decker said restoring the channel will lower public health risks and strengthen the ecological health of the entire San Juan Bay Estuary. “Restoring the Caño is about restoring opportunity, dignity, and environmental health for the families who live here,” he said.
Governor González Colón echoed those sentiments. Today we take a historic step with the start of Phase 1 of Contract 3 of the Caño Martín Peña Ecosystem Restoration Project, a project that represents dignity, transformation, and environmental justice for thousands of families in our communities,” she said. “This historic effort includes an investment of $57.4 million and is part of the more than $163 million in federal funds secured to make this long‑awaited restoration a reality.”
Progress toward full restoration
With the start of this phase, the project reaches approximately 50 percent completion. When fully complete, the restoration will encompass the entire 2.2‑mile length of the Caño Martín Peña and include full channel dredging, stabilization with sheet pile walls, the planting of 35 acres of mangroves, and the construction of 20 recreational parks along the waterway.
These improvements will reconnect the estuary, reduce sediment buildup, restore vital habitats, and enhance daily living conditions for residents.
