Quaternary Geology

Quaternary geology or "surficial geology" refers to the study of landforms and the unconsolidated sediments that lie beneath them. The majority of the unconsolidated sediments found at the land surface (or on top of bedrock) in Michigan were deposited during the late Wisconsin glaciation, 21,000 to 13,600 years ago.

In 1998 Michigan Natural Features Inventory, with funding from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (MDNR) digitized W.R. Farrand and D.L. Bell's Quaternary Geology maps of Northern and Southern Michigan (1:500,000 scale originals) and produced a vector digital dataset.

County Maps

The quaternary geology data is available for each county as a printable map in PDF format.

Choose a county to download  Select Alcona Alger Allegan Alpena Antrim Arenac Baraga Barry Bay Benzie Berrien Branch Calhoun Cass Charlevoix Cheboygan Chippewa Clare Clinton Crawford Delta Dickinson Eaton Emmet Genessee Gladwin Gogebic Grand Traverse Gratiot Hillsdale Houghton Huron Ingham Ionia Iosco Iron Isabella Isle Royale Jackson Kalamazoo Kalkaska Kent Keweenaw Lake Lapeer Leelanau Lenawee Livingston Luce Mackinac Macomb Manistee Marquette Mason Mecosta Menominee Midland Missaukee Monroe Montcalm Montmorency Muskegon Newaygo Oakland Oceana Ogemaw Ontonagon Osceola Oscoda Otsego Ottawa Presque Isle Roscommon Saginaw Sanilac Schoolcraft Shiawassee St. Clair St. Joseph Tuscola Van Buren Washtenaw Wayne Wexford

 

Source Data Citations

• Quaternary Geology of Southern Michigan - W.R. Farrand, compiler, and D.L. Bell geologic cartographer, Department of Geological Sciences, The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, 1982, 1:500,000-scale.
• Quaternary Geology of Northern Michigan - W.R. Farrand, compiler, and D.L. Bell geologic cartographer, Department of Geological Sciences, The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, 1982, 1:500,000-scale.

Spatial Data Citation

• Michigan Natural Features Inventory 1998. Quaternary/Surficial Geology of Michigan. Vector digital dataset, original scale 1:500,000. Lansing, MI.