Wetlands
 Most people
are familiar with the cattail or lily pad wetland found in
areas with standing water, but wetlands can also be grassy
meadows, shrubby fields, or mature forests. In fact, many
wetland areas may not have any standing water visible. Types
of wetlands include deciduous swamps, wet meadows, emergent
marshes, conifer swamps, wet prairies, shrub-scrub swamps,
fens, and bogs.
Michigan's wetland statute, Part 303, Wetlands Protection,
of the Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act,
1994 PA 451, as amended, defines a wetland as "land
characterized by the presence of water at a frequency and
duration sufficient to support, and that under normal
circumstances does support, wetland vegetation or aquatic
life, and is commonly referred to as a bog, swamp, or marsh."
The definition applies to public and private lands regardless
of zoning or ownership.
Bloomfield Township requires a wetland permit application
be made prior to any disturbance or construction within a
designated wetland. The fee for a Township wetland permit
application is $100.00. In most cases, both a Township permit and
Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ)
permit will be required.
Wetlands are a significant factor in the health and
existence of other natural resources of the state, such as
inland lakes, ground water, fisheries, wildlife, and the Great
Lakes. Michigan's wetland statute recognizes the following
benefits provided by wetlands:
Flood and storm control by the hydrologic absorption
and storage capacity of wetlands.
Wildlife habitat by providing breeding, nesting, and
feeding grounds and cover for many forms of wildlife,
waterfowl, including migratory waterfowl, and rare,
threatened, or endangered wildlife species.
Protection of subsurface water resources and provision
of valuable watersheds and recharging ground water
supplies.
Pollution treatment by serving as a biological and
chemical oxidation basin.
Erosion control by serving as a sedimentation area and
filtering basin, absorbing silt and organic matter.
Sources of nutrients in water food cycles and nursery
grounds and sanctuaries for fish.
2007 Wetland Inventory Update
In August 2006, the Engineering & Environmental Services
Department was awarded a federal grant to conduct a wetland
inventory within Bloomfield Township. The project was
completed in the fall of 2007. The wetland inventory project
included the mapping of all wetlands and watercourses within
the 25 square miles of Bloomfield Township, including streams,
drains, lakes and ponds. Identification of these various
watercourses will assist the Township with understanding
regulatory status of certain wetlands, including isolated
wetland features. The mapping identifies all potential wetland
areas, however wetland delineations will still need to be
obtained on a site-specific basis by wetland permit
applicants. The final wetland inventory report and wetland
inventory map are now available.
Wetland Inventory Map
Wetland Report
Frequently Asked Questions
1. How do I know if I have wetland on my property?
The new wetland inventory maps are a good starting point by
showing the general location of wetlands in Bloomfield
Township. However, because of the scale of these maps and the
methods used to produce them, they cannot be used to
accurately define the location and boundaries of wetlands on
an individual parcel of land. The DEQ provides a service for
identification of wetland locations and boundaries. Please see
the DEQ Wetland Assessment Program webpage for more information.
2. How were the wetland inventory maps created?
The wetland inventories were created by compiling
information from:
Existing Bloomfield Township wetland data
Michigan Center for Geographic Information
Oakland County wetland data
Michigan Natural Features Inventory
3. If the inventory maps do not show the location and
boundaries of wetlands on my property, what is their purpose?
Knowledge of the general location of wetlands is useful to
support land use planning and zoning, watershed planning,
wildlife and resource management planning, and similar uses.
Individuals and businesses seeking lands for particular
purposes can use the wetland inventory maps as initial
screening tools where known wetlands should be avoided. The
wetland maps can also be used to help highlight areas where
wetland restoration can provide benefits to fish and wildlife
or help to protect other water resources. Over time, help
state and federal agencies track the status and trends of
wetland resources on a regional, state, or national basis.
Additional Information
Please contact the Bloomfield Township Engineering and
Environmental Services Department if you have questions about the
material presented here. The following websites offer more
information about the use of native plants in wetland areas.
MDEQ Wetland Protection
Wild
Flower Association of Michigan
Oakland
Conservation District
The following companies are just a small selection of the
many qualified native plant nurseries that can supply plants,
seeds and information.
Ernst
Conservation Seeds
Wildtype Nursery
Updated: January 2008
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Charter Township of Bloomfield
4200 Telegraph Road
P.O. Box 489
Bloomfield Hills, MI 48303-0489
248.433.7700
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