Lake Fryxell Circumnavigation Survey

Lake Fryxell Circumnavigation to Map Wetted Zone

Project Links:

2004-05 Field Season Report

2005-06 Field Season Report

Data

The goal of this activity is to map out the wetted zone that surrounds Lake Fryxell and determine the physical characteristics that govern the width of these wetted zones.

Methods: We used a Trimble kinematic GPS rover with base station to acquire ~2 cm resolution in our survey. The lake wetted edge and edge of the wetted zone, as determined by eye, were surveyed with a position being acquired every 5 sec. Every 100 m, the team would stop and make measurements of 1) position, 2) surface soil moisture, and 3) active layer depth (determined by pushing a T-bar to the point of refusal) at 4 points along the wetted zone gradient. 2 points trisected the wetted zone, a third was right on the outer edge of the wetted zone, and a 4th point was about 1 m into the dry soils. GPS points were acquired for each of these measurement locations. Every 500 m, this same data collection occurred plus sampling of surface (10 cm) sediment for particle size fraction to be determined in the lab.

The survey began on 12 Jan 2005 and was completed on 15 Jan 2005.

Current status:

processing sediment samples for water content and particle size distribution,
processing GPS data for incorporation with LIDAR-derived 2 m DEM for the Lake Fryxell basin.

Images from the survey: (double click image to see larger version)

Beth Bartell (UNAVCO) shows us how to set up the kinematic GPS system.	Beth Bartell (UNAVCO) shows us how to use the survey grade GPS roving system.	Ken surveying with rover, Melissa measuring surface soil moisture, Lk Fryxell. [photo by B. Bartell]	Ken surveys the edge of Lk Fryxell and the edge of the wetted fringe around the lake with a Trimble GPS rover unit. [photo by B. Bartell]
Brad pushes T-bar to point of refusal (permafrost), Lydia takes notes, Melissa measures surface soil moisture, and Ken surveys with GPS rover. [photo by B. Bartell]	Brad illustrates the T-bar method, Jeb supervises, Melissa measures surface soil moisture, and Ken surveys the lake edge.	Brad uses the T-bar to probe to the point of refusal (~permafrost). [QT Movie - double click to play]	The Lk Fryxell survey team completes their mapping and synoptic sampling of the wetted zone around the entire lake. [QT Movie - double click to play]

We are very grateful to Beth Bartell from UNAVCO for her help with our survey.

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This page was updated on 15-Sept-2007.
This page was created on 23-Jan-2005.
Questions? Email mgooseff@engr.psu.edu.