PHYSICAL, CHEMICAL AND BIOLOGICAL CONDITIONS OF THE SAGAVANIRKTOK RIVER AND NEARBY CONTROL STREAMS, SHAVIOVIK AND CANNING RIVERS

• Main Authors: Eldor W. Schallock, Ernst W. Mueller
• Format: Text
• Language: unknown
• Published: 2004
• Subjects: Arctic; Galbraith Lake; Arctic grayling; north slope; Tundra; Alaska; Slimy sculpin
• Online Access: http://oaspub.epa.gov/eims/eimsapi.dispdetail?deid=49571

Biological, physical and chemical data were collected from 28 stations on the Sagavanirktok River and five of its tributaries, the Canning River, Shaviovik River, two tundra lakes and Galbraith Lake. These stations are located on the North Slope of Alaska and in the area impacted by the oil industry. Macrobenthic community samples collected from streams were dominated by Plecoptera, Ephemeroptera, and Diptera, although Annelida, Arcari, and other groups were also present. Within the Diptera, Chironomidae was usually numerically dominant although in some areas, Simuliidae, Ceratopogonidae, Tipulidae, and Tabanidae were important. Lake habitat supported Mollusca, Copepoda, Anostraca, Cladocera, Amphipoda, and Trichoptera. Piscifauna included the arctic grayling, arctic char, lake trout, pike, slimy sculpin, nine-spine stickleback, ling cod, and round whitefish. Total and fecal coliform bacteria values in the stream waters are low. Ranges and patterns of 23 chemical and physical parameters in the aquatic environment were discussed. Measurements of specific cations and anions included dissolved oxygen, phosphorus, silica, sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, iron, chloride and nitrogen forms. Collective parameters such as specific conductance, alkalinity, total hardness, pH, total organic carbon and fixed suspended solids were also measured.