Harnish Creek is a meltwater stream, 3 nautical miles (5.6 km) long, that flows north from the unnamed glacier

Glacier

A glacier is a large persistent body of ice that forms where the accumulation of snow exceeds its ablation over many years, often centuries. At least 0.1 km² in area and 50 m thick, but often much larger, a glacier slowly deforms and flows due to stresses induced by its weight...

 east of Crescent Glacier

Crescent Glacier

Crescent Glacier is a small alpine glacier in Antarctica. It is located just east of Howard Glacier in the Kukri Hills, flowing north into Taylor Valley in Victoria Land. The glacier was studied by U.S. geologist Troy L. Pewe in December 1957, and was so named by him because of its crescent shape...

 into the east part of Lake Fryxell

Lake Fryxell

Lake Fryxell is a lake long, between Canada Glacier and Commonwealth Glaciers at the lower end of Taylor Valley in Victoria Land, Antarctica. Mapped by the British Antarctic Expedition under Robert Falcon Scott, 1910-13, the lake was visited by Professor T.L. Péwé during USN Operation Deep Freeze,...

, Taylor Valley

Taylor Valley

Taylor Valley is the southern one of the three large Dry Valleys in the Transantarctic Mountains, Victoria Land, located west of McMurdo Sound at approximately . The valley extends from Taylor Glacier in the west to McMurdo Sound at Explorers Cove at the northwest head of New Harbour in the east...

, in Victoria Land

Victoria Land

Victoria Land is a region of Antarctica bounded on the east by the Ross Ice Shelf and the Ross Sea and on the west by Oates Land and Wilkes Land. It was discovered by Captain James Clark Ross in January 1841 and named after the UK's Queen Victoria...

. The name was suggested by hydrologist Diane McKnight, leader of a United States Geological Survey

United States Geological Survey

The United States Geological Survey is a scientific agency of the United States government. The scientists of the USGS study the landscape of the United States, its natural resources, and the natural hazards that threaten it. The organization has four major science disciplines, concerning biology,...

 (USGS) team that made extensive studies of the hydrology and geochemistry of streams and ponds in the Lake Fryxell basin, 1987-94. Named after USGS hydrologist Richard A. Harnish, a member of the field team in the 1988-89 and 1990-91 seasons; during latter season assisted in establishing stream gaging stations on streams flowing into Lake Fryxell.