Michigan Dept. of Environment, Great Lakes, and EnergyThis data set was derived from the 1981 publication of the Hydrological Atlas of Michigan plate 26. Three plates of the Aquifer Characteristics of Glacial Drift map were scanned, geo-rectified and used as a backdrop in the digitizing of this polygon vector file. Aquifer Characteristics of the Glacial Drift map for Michigan was developed from the 1:500,000 maps of the Surface Formations of the Northern and Southern Peninsulas of Michigan (Martin, 1955). Four major aquifer units were defined for the glacial drift, and one unit (unit III) was subdivided into two sub-units for the Southern Peninsula (see explanation). The Northern Peninsula portion of the Aquifer Characteristics map was prepared from glacial drift and/or ground-water availability maps in County Progress Reports, and a Seafarer Site Survey (see References). The mapped surface formations presented in these reports were reinterpreted and assigned to the four major aquifer nits established for this map. The Southern Peninsula portion of the Aquifer Characteristics map is based on a reinterpretation of the units delineated on the Surface Formations of the Southern Peninsula of Michigan (Martin, 1955), Landform Units in Northeastern Lower Michigan (Burgis, 1977), and Aquifer Vulnerability to Surface Contamination in Michigan (Dept. of Public Health, 1980). In addition, water well records were examined to determine the relationship between the drift stratigraphy and the four major aquifer units used for this map. The analysis of well records was done initially for type areas of clearly distinguished surface glacial deposits. After it was established that a general correlation exists, approximately 39,300 water and oil and gas well records were examined, with particular attention to those which penetrated thick sections of drift. Well records from all townships on 10 east-west transects and one north-south transect were inspected: Townships 5S, 1N, 5N, 10N, 14N, 20N, 24N, 32N, and 37N, and 4W. In addition, Ionia, Clinton, Van Buren, Cass, Sanilac, St. Clair, Alpena, Macomb, Bay, Monroe, Ottawa and Muskegon Counties were checked in more detail. Finally selected deep wells and oil and gas wells with detailed records of the drift were examined to determine the characteristics of the drift at depth. In general, the drift below the typical depths of wells was found to have characteristics similar to the shallower drift. Locally, as in Ottawa and Muskegon Counties and in a broad area of south-central Michigan, parts of Barry, Clinton, Eaton, Ingham, Livingston, Oakland, Shiawassee, Genesee, Lapeer, Sanilac and Tuscola Counties, small discontinuous areas exist where the deeper drift is not an aquifer. Aquifer Characteristics Explanation IV Drift may be an unconfined aquifer to bedrockNot possible to delineate from available data III A Drift usually unconfined at or near the surface, generally consists of interbedded aquifers, aquicludes, and aquitards at depth III B Drift may or may not be an aquifer at or near the surface. Drift generally consists of interbedded aquifers, aquicludes, and aquitards at dethhs Aquifer characteristics generally conform to category III, but drift may not be an aquifer in small discontinuous areas. II Drift generally not an aquifer, may include thin interbedded aquifers at depth I Thin drift (0-30 feet) overlying bedrock For questions on this data please reach out to Mark Snow at SnowM@Michigan.govArcGIS DynamicMapLayerhttps://hub.arcgis.com/datasets/befb0f80af5a4e7aa155ef4328d90242_7engState of Michigan Open Data PortalPublicAquifer Characteristics Of Glacial Drift [Michigan]Web servicesMichiganLast Modified: 2025-09-24