Flowing wells in Michigan, 1974

Flowing wells yielding fresh water occur in both the glacial drift and the bedrock in Michigan. Most known flowing wells are in the Lower Peninsula because the greater population in that part of the State has led to more frequent drilling. A comparison of flowing-well areas in 1900 with those in 1970 shows a probable decline in head in the glacial drift and the Marshall and Saginaw bedrock formations in the central and southern parts of the Lower Peninsula. Wells having the greatest reported flews are from the Marshall and Saginaw Formations; wells having the greatest heads are from the Cambrian, Ordovician, and Silurian rock units. Flowing wells in Michigan are largely used for domestic water supplies, although a few are used for municipal and industrial supplies. In general, water from most flowing wells is suitable for domestic use; however, high iron, chloride, and hardness impair water quality at some locations.