Bahía de Jobos ( English : Jobos Bay ) or Reserva Natural de Investigación Estuarina de Bahía de Jobos ( English : Jobos Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve ) is a federally protected estuary in Aguirre, Salinas, Puerto Rico . The bay is an intertidal tropical ecosystem dominated by seagrass beds , coral reefs , and mangroves . In an area of 1,140 hectares (2,800 acres), the reserve contains five distinct habitat types and provides sanctuary to several endangered species. Bahía de Jobos is one of 28 reserves that comprise the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) National Estuarine Research Reserve System . The reserve is operated in conjunction with the Puerto Rico Department of Natural and Environmental Resources (DRNA).
15-566: Jobos Bay is located on the south coast of Puerto Rico in Aguirre barrio, between Salinas and Guayama . Most of the land in the reserve is owned by a private company which leased the land to the Aguirre Corporation, which operated an extensive sugarcane farm and sugar mill in the region. After the burst of the sugar industry, Aguirre closed in 1980 and the land remains owned by the private corporation. The land has been offered to
30-567: Is Mercedita Airport in Ponce, while the nearest airport with multiple international flights is Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport in San Juan. Puerto Rico Highway 1 Puerto Rico Highway 1 ( PR-1 ) is a highway in Puerto Rico that connects the city of Ponce to San Juan . Leaving Ponce, the road heads east and follows a somewhat parallel route along the southern coast of
45-736: Is a barrio in the municipality of Salinas, Puerto Rico . Its population in 2010 was 14,005. Aguirre was in Spain's gazetteers until Puerto Rico was ceded by Spain in the aftermath of the Spanish–American War under the terms of the Treaty of Paris of 1898 and became an unincorporated territory of the United States . In 1899, the United States Department of War conducted a census of Puerto Rico finding that
60-491: Is a short segment in Cayey where PR-1 is also a divided highway. It becomes a divided road once again from Caguas to San Juan at a sector known as "La Muda". PR-1 is roughly parallel to PR-52 throughout its entire length. Prior to PR-52's inauguration, PR-1 was the route of choice from traveling between Ponce and San Juan. PR-1 is signed "PR-1 East" in the segment that travels from Ponce to Salinas, and then signed "PR-1 North" in
75-595: The Aguirre State Forest on the East, a fisherman village (Las Mareas) on the West, and agricultural and residential land on the north. Due to urbanization in the region and shifting irrigation regimes, watershed dynamics have changed significantly. About 30 families who have squatted on the land were facing eviction in 2022. Jobos Bay is a tropical estuary with five distinct habitat types grading roughly from
90-549: The Central Azucarera de Aguirre, a local sugar factory. Aguirre still has a "central" but this one is operated by the Autoridad de Energía Eléctrica de Puerto Rico , a government energy company. On Monday, July 25, 2016, there was a fire at the plant when there was an unnoticed petroleum leak. No one was injured, but the central's plants were unworkable for the following three weeks. The Central Azucarera de Aguirre
105-548: The Commonwealth of Puerto Rico but because of financial troubles the purchase never concluded. The land remains under private ownership but part of the Bay is Federal Land. Bahía de Jobos was established as a National Estuarine Sanctuary in 1981. Jobos Bay private lands remains the only undeveloped bay lands in the entire island, consisting of close to 160 hectares (400 acres) and more than 4 kilometres (2.5 mi) of frontage to
120-561: The bay. In fact, The Jobos Bay property controls most of the northern section of the Bay. It runs close to Aguirre Sugar Mill and all the way to the Eastern edge of Jobos Bay. This property can be developed for commercial and private use. A new corporation was established in 2017 Jobos Bay Properties, Inc. to administer the sale of the land in private hands. Since the 1980s, land-use in the areas surrounding Bahía de Jobos has continued to change. The Corporacion Amoros private reserve borders
135-550: The island heading towards Salinas. At Salinas , the road turns north to cut through the Cordillera Central in its approach to San Juan. Before reaching San Juan, it climbs to make its way to the mountain town of Cayey and then it winds down into the city of Caguas on its final approach to San Juan. PR-1 starts in Ponce and ends in San Juan. The route connects important cities such as Salinas , Cayey , and Caguas . In Ponce, PR-1 intersects PR-2 and PR-52 . One of
150-439: The major roads in Ponce that PR-1 does not intersect is PR-10 , which is accessible via an alternate route ( PR-5506 ) through Mercedita Airport . A sign on PR-1 alerts drivers on where to get off to access PR-10. PR-1 passes through a small portion of the central town of Cidra, merely off the border with Cayey; the exit from PR-52 to Guavate is less than 1 hectometer from the town, and going north all structures and buildings off
165-660: The ocean landward: coral reefs , seagrass beds , mangrove forests , mudflats , and evergreen littoral forests . Jobos is the second largest estuary in Puerto Rico by total area and the largest (by a factor of three) by total coastline. The Jobos mangroves are estimated to comprise 42.6% of that habitat type on the south coast of Puerto Rico. At least seven endangered species can be found at Bahía de Jobos. 17°57′27.26″N 66°13′20.13″W / 17.9575722°N 66.2222583°W / 17.9575722; -66.2222583 Aguirre, Salinas, Puerto Rico Aguirre
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#1732802386985180-419: The population of Aguirre barrio was 1,291. Aguirre was once a municipality, until it was merged into Salinas during the 1990s. Before that, Aguirre was Puerto Rico's smallest municipality, a distinction now held by Cataño near San Juan . The Central Aguirre Historic District was listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places in 2002. For many years, Aguirre's main economical support came from
195-575: The road on the right are in Cayey, while the road itself and everything on the left is in Cidra until it enters Caguas just passing the junction with PR-787, which connects PR-1 to the rest of Cidra. This means that Cidra can be reached quickly from the main tollway (PR-52) via Exit 32 to Guavate. PR-1 is an undivided two-lane road, with some exceptions. In Ponce, it is a six-lane divided highway in its intersection with PR-578 and PR-2 in Sabanetas . There
210-495: The segment that travels from Salinas to San Juan. Likewise, the road is signed "PR-1 South" in the segment that travels from San Juan to Salinas and then signed "PR-1 West" in the segment that travels from Salinas to Ponce. Construction of what became PR-1 began with the building of the Carretera Central , started during the governorship of Miguel de la Torre (1822–1837). A small section from San Juan to Río Piedras
225-502: Was placed on the 2020 World Monuments Watch by the World Monuments Fund organization. The organization will use the site as a focal educational resource to train people in Puerto Rico on building with wood. Aguirre, like the rest of Salinas, is accessible by car and other wheeled vehicles through Puerto Rico Highway 1 , which connects the country's two largest cities of San Juan and Ponce . The nearest commercial airport
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