THOMASTON — The natural resources and pollution problems of the St. George River estuary will be the topic of a panel discussion to be held at 7 p.m. Wednesday, March 28, at Georges Valley High School.

Area residents are invited to learn more about the St. George River and its 3,801 acres of valuable estuary. This ecosystem contains biologically important salt marshes and mudflats, and critically significant nurseries for fish, shellfish, and waterfowl.

The evening events will begin with a presentation by Larry Pritchett of the Georges River Tidewater Association on the important fisheries resources of the St. George River estuary and its pollution problems. Runoff pollution in a tidal estuary will then be discussed by biologist John Sowles of the Department of Environmental Protection.

Alan Houston, a shellfish warden in the Brunswick area, will address the Maquoit Bay crisis and what is now being done there. A newly launched citizens project to monitor the water quality of the St. George River estuary and feeder streams will be discussed by Esperanza Stancioff of the University of Maine Cooperative Extension and Margo Murphy of the Georges River Tidewater Association. After these presentations there will be an opportunity for the public to participate in questions and discussion.

The event is sponsored by the Georges River Tidewater Association and the University of Maine Cooperative Extension. For more information about the St. George estuary panel discussion or the volunteer water quality monitoring project, contact Stancioff at 594-2104 or 1-800-244-2104, or Murphy, 596-7481.

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