The water resources of Van Buren County include productive ground-water reservoirs, a network of perennial streams, about 60 major inland lakes, and Lake Michigan. Most water users obtain their supplies from wells. The ground-water reservoirs in the glacial drift can provide several times the amount of water now used, but large withdrawals of ground water may lower the levels of nearby lakes or diminish the flow of nearly streams. Permeable soils and drift account for the relatively high base flows of streams in the southeastern two-thirds of the county. Less permeable surficial materials in the northwest part of the county result in relatively low base flows there. The water from wells is generally hard and high in iron content but is otherwise suitable for most uses. Water from streams and lakes is similar to that from wells except that iron-content is not a problem, and some of the inland lakes have very soft water. The availability of ground water, the base flow of streams, and the chemical character of water in the county are summarized in maps and tables accompanying this report.
