Oregon Public Broadcasting

The Environmental Protection Agency has sent a team of microbiologists from Seattle to sample Columbia River water.

They’re looking for possible bacteria that might be causing the mysterious ailment wind surfers call “river nose.” Christy George reports from Hood River.

The Columbia River Keepers Group has organized teams of volunteers to interview kite boarders and windersurfers.

They’re also taking water samples on both sides of the river from Arlington all the way to Cascade Locks.

The EPA will test the samples looking for five kinds of bacteria including E. coli and and enterococcus.

Those bacteria cause different symptoms, reported by windsurfers including respiratory and gastro intestinal problems and cuts and sores that are slow to heal.

The results won’t be in until October.