Following up on over a decade of collaboration with the Jobos Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve (JBNERR), CARICOOS has commenced an effort focused on understanding the connectivity/steep biogeochemical gradients observed between mangrove lagoons, coastal waters and the open ocean using a flow-thru system that allows sampling surface waters throughout Jobos Bay. The results from the initial field campaigns were presented at the third JBNERR Annual Symposium in Ponce, Puerto Rico by CARICOOS graduate student Erick García-Troche. The presentation also included some history behind the CARICOOS-JBNERR collaboration as well as insights on questions the researchers hope to answer with the efforts currently underway. The above study will also provide critical information including the location of springs which should help reserve managers identify and protect manatee grazing areas.