Description
Canada Stream is one of the major sources of inflow to Lake Fryxell and is typically the first stream in the basin to begin flowing in the austral summer. Canada Stream drains the upper east side of the Canada Glacier. The gauge is located at the site of a previous rock weir about 1.5 km above the lakeshore. At the gauge, flow draining the upper glacier has joined with flows from a large pond at the base of the glacier. Between the gauge and the lakeshore the stream flows through a steeply incised channel with large boulders in the streambed and then across a broad alluvial fan. The alluvial fan is referred to as a "delta site". Some samples collected from Canada Stream are labelled by an earlier name: "Fryxell Stream". Stream length: 1.5 km.
Environmental data
Hydrological, biological, chemical, and physical property measurements have been made for a number of McMurdo Dry Valley streams and lakes.
See: LTER Data
Diatom taxa found in
Canada Stream
- Achnanthes taylorensis
- Amphora oligotraphenta
- Chamaepinnularia cymatopleura
- Craticula molestiformis
- Diadesmis contenta
- Diadesmis contenta var. parallela
- Diadesmis perpusilla
- Fallacia naumannii
- Fistulifera pelliculosa
- Hantzschia abundans
- Hantzschia amphioxys
- Hantzschia amphioxys f. muelleri
- Hantzschia sp. #5
- Hantzschia subrupestris
- Luticola austroatlantica
- Luticola cohnii var. #1
- Luticola dolia
- Luticola gaussii
- Luticola laeta
- Luticola murrayi
- Luticola mutica
- Luticola muticopsis
- Luticola muticopsis fo. capitata
- Luticola muticopsis fo. evoluta
- Luticola muticopsis fo. reducta
- Luticola sp. #2
- Luticola sp. #3
- Marine diatom fragments
- Mayamaea atomus
- Mayamaea atomus fo. permitis
- Mayamaea atomus var. #1
- Muelleria meridionalis
- Muelleria peraustralis
- Muelleria supra
- Navicula cincta
- Navicula gregaria
- Navicula shackletoni
- Nitzschia westii
- Pinnularia borealis
- Pinnularia cymatopleura var. #3
- Pinnularia deltaica
- Pinnularia quaternaria
- Psammothidium chlidanos
- Psammothidium germainii
- Stauroneis latistauros
Canada Stream, Taylor Valley.
See: Overview maps
Canada Stream early in the austral summer when streams freeze and thaw frequently. 1989. Photo: Sarah Spaulding.
Installation of stream gauge on Canada Stream to record glacier and snow melt. 1998. Photo: Sarah Spaulding.
