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Streamflow, Water-Temperature, and Specific-Conductance Data For Streamflow, water-temperature, and specific-conductance data for selected streams draining into Lake Fryxell, Lower Taylor Valley, Victoria Land, Antarctica, 1990-92 by Paul von Guerard, D.M. McKnight, R.A. Harnish, J.W. Gartner, and E.D. Andrews U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY Open-File Report 94-545 Prepared in cooperation with the NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION Denver, Colorado 1995 U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR BRUCE BABBITT, Secretary U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY Gordon P. Eaton, Director The use of trade, product, industry, or firm names is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government. For additional information write to: Copies of this report can be purchased from: District Chief U.S. Geological Survey U.S. Geological Survey Earth Science Information Center Box 25046, MS 415 Open-File Reports Section Denver Federal Center Box 25286, MS 517 Denver, CO 80225 Denver Federal Center Denver, CO 80225 CONTENTS Abstract........................................................................................................................_^ 1 Introduction.............................................................................................^^ 1 Purpose and scope....................................................................................................................................................... 2 Previous investigations............................................................................................................................................... 2 Acknowledgments.......................................................^ 3 Data collection ......................................................................................................................_^ 3 Environmental effects................................................................................................................................................. 4 Streamflow...............................................................................................................................................................^ 4 Water temperature and specific conductance.............................................................................................................. 6 References cited.................................................................................................................................................................... 11 Hydrologic data..................................................................................................................................................................... 13 PLATE [In-pocket] 1. Map showing location of streamflow-gaging and water-quality sampling sites in the Lake Fryxell Basin, lower Taylor Valley, Victoria Land, Antarctica FIGURES 1. Map showing location of study area........................................................................................................................ 2 2-5. Graphs showing: 2. Daily mean streamflow for Canada Stream and Aiken Creek, November 1990 through February 1991...... 7 3. Unit streamflow for Canada Stream and Aiken Creek, December 30,1990, through January 2,1991......... 8 4. Maximum and minimum water temperatures for Canada Stream and Aiken Creek, December 1990 through January 1991..................................................................................................................................... 9 5. Daily mean specific conductance for Canada Stream and Aiken Creek, December 1990 through January 1991..........................................................................»^ 10 TABLES 1. Streamflow and water-quality monitoring sites in the Lake Fryxell Basin, lower Taylor Valley, Victoria Land, Antarctica, 1990-92........................................................................................._^ 3 2-9. Maximum, minimum, and daily mean streamflow for: 2. Canada Stream in the lower Taylor Valley, Victoria Land, Antarctica............................................................ 14 3. Huey Creek in the lower Taylor Valley, Victoria Land, Antarctica................................................................. 16 4. Lost Seal Stream in the lower Taylor Valley, Victoria Land, Antarctica......................................................... 18 5. Aiken Creek in the lower Taylor Valley, Victoria Land, Antarctica................................................................ 20 6. Von Guerard Stream in the lower Taylor Valley, Victoria Land, Antarctica................................................... 22 7. Crescent Stream in the lower Taylor Valley, Victoria Land, Antarctica.......................................................... 24 8. Delta Stream in the lower Taylor Valley, Victoria Land, Antarctica............................................................... 26 9. Green Creek in the lower Taylor Valley, Victoria Land, Antarctica................................................................ 28 10-16. Maximum, minimum, and daily mean water temperature for: 10. Canada Stream in the lower Taylor Valley, Victoria Land, Antarctica............................................................ 30 11. Lost Seal Stream in the lower Taylor Valley, Victoria Land, Antarctica......................................................... 32 12. Aiken Creek in the lower Taylor Valley, Victoria Land, Antarctica................................................................ 34 13. Von Guerard Stream in the lower Taylor Valley, Victoria Land, Antarctica................................................... 36 14. Crescent Stream in the lower Taylor Valley, Victoria Land, Antarctica.......................................................... 38 15. Delta Stream in the lower Taylor Valley, Victoria Land, Antarctica............................................................... 39 16. Green Creek in the lower Taylor Valley, Victoria Land, Antarctica................................................................ 41 CONTENTS III 17-23. Maximum, minimum, and daily mean specific conductance for: 17. Canada Stream in the lower Taylor Valley, Victoria Land, Antarctica............................................................ 43 18. Lost Seal Stream in the lower Taylor Valley, Victoria Land, Antarctica......................................................... 45 19. Aiken Creek in the lower Taylor Valley, Victoria Land, Antarctica................................................................ 47 20. Von Guerard Stream in the lower Taylor Valley, Victoria Land, Antarctica................................................... 49 21. Crescent Stream in the lower Taylor Valley, Victoria Land, Antarctica.......................................................... 50 22. Delta Stream in the lower Taylor Valley, Victoria Land, Antarctica............................................................... 51 23. Green Creek in the lower Taylor Valley, Victoria Land, Antarctica................................................................ 53 24. Periodic streamflow, water-temperature, and specific-conductance measurements at Canada Stream, Huey Creek, Lost Seal Stream, McKnight Creek, Aiken Stream, Von Guerard Stream, Harnish Creek, Crescent Stream, Delta Stream, Green Creek, and Bowles Creek in the lower Taylor Valley, Victoria Land, Antarctica......................................................................................................................................... 55 CONVERSION FACTORS AND VERTICAL DATUM Multiply By To obtain cubic meter per second (m3/s) 35.3107 cubic foot per second meter (m) 3.280 foot kilometer (km) 0.621 mile Degree Celsius (°C) may be converted to degree Fahrenheit (°F) by using the following equation: °F = 9/5(°C) + 32. The following term also is used in this report: microsiemens per centimeter at 25 degrees Celsius (uS/cm) Sea level: In this report "sea level" refers to the National Geodetic Vertical Datum of 1929 (NGVD of 1929) a geodetic datum derived from a general adjustment of the first-order level nets of both the United States and Canada, formerly called Sea Level Datum of 1929. IV CONTENTS Streamflow, Water-Temperature, and Specific- Conductance Data for Selected Streams Draining Into Lake Fryxell, Lower Taylor Valley, Victoria Land, Antarctica, 1990-92 #y Paul von Guerard, D.M. McKnight, R.A. Harnish, J.W. Gartner, ancfE.D. Andrews Abstract INTRODUCTION During the 1990-91 and 1991-92 field sea­ Lake Fryxell is in the Taylor Valley, which is sons in Antarctica, streamflow, water-temperature, part of the relatively ice-free region known as the and specific-conductance data were collected McMurdo Dry Valleys located along the western coast of the Ross Sea in Victoria Land, Antarctica (fig. 1). on 11 streams draining into Lake Fryxell. Lake The McMurdo Dry Valleys is characterized by extreme Fryxell, which is permanently ice covered, is situ­ cold temperatures and dry (rainless) conditions. Any ated in a closed basin. Continuous streamflow snowfall typically is lost to sublimation in a few hours data were collected at eight sites, and periodic or days. Air temperatures range from about -45°C, streamflow measurements were made at three during the winter, to about 5 to 7°C during the summer. sites. Continuous water-temperature and specific- Lake Fryxell is a permanently ice-covered, closed- conductance data were collected at seven sites, basin lake that has a network of 13 streams that provide inflow. Data were collected at 11 of the 13 and periodic water-temperature and specific- streams. No data were collected at Andrews Creek and conductance
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