A dozen college water investigators will set sail today for a 530-mile journey to measure the health of the Ohio River.

        Starting in Pittsburgh, they will travel aboard two boats for five days. They'll stop every five miles to take water samples and every 25 miles for sediment and zebra mussel samples.

        They'll travel through Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Ohio and Kentucky before concluding the mission just west of Cincinnati at the Markland Dam Friday.

        “This will give us a snapshot of more than 500 miles in just a week's time,” said John Hageman, a professor from Thomas More College who is working alongside biology students and faculty from University of Cincinnati, Marshall University, Northern Kentucky University and Thomas More.

        The team also will collect samples from every river, creek and tributary that feeds into the Ohio River, testing for bacteria, chemicals, zebra mussels and algae.

        Results from the study, River Run 2002, will be released at the Ohio River Basin Consortium for Research and Education at NKU Nov. 6-8. A similar project was conducted last year, and comparing the results could help educate lawmakers, environmentalists and boaters about the biological status of the busy channel - and to protect it.

        “This is a natural resource that a lot of people take for granted,” said Aaron Farrell, 20, a biology student at Thomas More. “We need to take care of it and stop polluting it to protect it.”

        To accomplish their mission, teams will research in three-person crews. The small motorboats, sporting the school flags of the participants, will cruise into Hockingport and Middleport, Ohio, on Wednesday before reaching Maysville and Dayton, Ky., on Friday.

        Joey Van Skaik, 20, a Thomas More student, said he is looking forward to studying zebra mussels, a species introduced to the Great Lakes to help water quality that caused other ecological problems and has spread rapidly to other bodies of water.

        “This is a great experience,” Mr. Skaik said before setting sail. “It is a trip you really don't want to miss.”

        Several of the participants took part in last summer's study, which started in Pittsburgh and ended in Rising Sun, Ind. The results were interesting enough that organizers decided more could be found by measuring changes from year-to-year.

        “When the last boat came in,” after the 2001 campaign, “the first thing we said is "let's do it again next year,' ” said Michael Miller, a University of Cincinnati biology professor.

        In addition to gathering useful data, the study is a “lifelong experience” for the students who participate, he said.

        Last year, investigators faced stormy weather, and one of the boats nearly flooded in the midst of the research - but they didn't stop. If stormy weather strikes again, the group is committed to carrying out the study.

        Diane McCubbin, a 32-year-old doctoral student from University of Cincinnati who participated last year, says the best part will be “getting out of the lab and back into the field.”

        She'll be testing for nutrients in the water.

        Even in the field, the scientists say they won't take time off to go fishing, water skiing or tubing. Since they won't look like “typical boaters,” organizers expect to receive some double takes, but they urge fellow boaters not to be alarmed, organizers said.

        Miriam Kannan, an NKU biology professor, said she hopes the repeat study will add to the understanding of the river. She has studied algae for 25 years, and she said the water is changing with the introduction of new species.

        Dr. Kannan said she is excited about spending time studying the river. “What could be more beautiful than life?” she said.

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