THOMASTON — Join the Georges River Shellfish Committee and the Georges River Regional Shellfish Management Organization for a presentation of Water Flow and Fisheries in the St. George River Estuary Wednesday, January 25, at 5 p.m., at the Thomaston Town Office.
 
Over the last year, Gabrielle Hillyer, David Taylor, Lauren Ross, and many others have been conducting research in the Georges River estuary. This research has led to the development of a computer model showing how water circulates throughout the estuary. Importantly, this model has shown how pollution has circulated, created new insights on where sources of pollution may be developing, and led to managerial decisions regarding the Upper Bay area with its thousand acres of productive clam flats.
 
The clam committee and the joint shellfish board (comprised of a Select Board member from each of the five towns: Cushing, St. George, South Thomaston, Thomaston, and Warren) will use this model as they develop a more proactive conservation plan for marine resources in the five towns. For example, how can we boost the clam harvests that have been damaged by green crabs in recent years? Can we reseed the entire estuary from brood stock in the Upper Bay?
 
Gabrielle Hillyer presents the results of her modeling and shares new insights related to how much clam seed is retained within the estuary.