Contact Person(s):

Carl Gabrielson,
Township Supervisor
(tel) 810-629-1537

 

	In 1990, Fenton Township had 10,000 residents. It expects to have 20,000 residents by 2004. Growth tagged at about 200 new homes per year made residents worry that their aquifers may soon run dry. Township residents rely exclusively on private water wells for their drinking water. Responding to their concerns, the township board contracted the Regional Groundwater Center at the University of Michigan Flint to carry out a study of the township's aquifers in 1996. At the same time, lake residents expressed their concern that runoff from the new developments would contaminate the lakes. Fenton Township has 18 lakes and wetlands spread out across the township. Recreational use of the lakes represents an important economic activity. Also, lakeshore properties are highly valued. Responding to the concerns of lake residents, the township board hired a private consulting firm to do a study of its lakes in 1996. The UM-Flint study identified the townships three aquifers: a bedrock aquifer and two glacial drift aquifers. Although a clay shelf protected the bedrock aquifer, significant quantity of sand and gravel in the drift subsurface meant moderate to high infiltration levels above the drift aquifers. The UM-Flint study further found that water circulated between the bedrock and drift aquifers. Based on these findings, the UM-Flint study concluded that 88% of the township was highly or moderately vulnerable to groundwater contamination The Lakes study showed that water quality in the township's lakes was relatively good. However, excessive use of fertilizers by lakeshore homeowners was causing excessive vegetative growth in the lakes. While the results of both studies allayed citizens' concern over the adequacy of their groundwater resources to support rapid development, it also prompted concerns for the quality of their water. Township officials responded by developing and implementing an integrated groundwater protection plan.
	Using the results of the UM-Flint study, the township developed a land-use map identifying environmentally sensitive areas. The map served as the basis for a zoning master plan that prohibits potentially contaminating development in these areas. For example, the township denied construction of a truck stop in a wetland area by Lake Ponemah. The Township has also taken steps to maintain the quality of its lakes by developing a fertilizer ordinance restricting fertilizer-use around the lake. Officials are meeting with homeowner associations to promote the ordinance. Although the township took steps to regulate land-uses within its jurisdiction to protect its groundwater resources, it could not regulate potentially risky land-uses outside of its boundaries. The U-M Flint study showed that water flowed in northwesterly direction through the township. The implication for the township was that land-use activities of their neighbors to the south directly impacted the quality of their groundwater and surface waters. Water in the township flows through a series of creeks and drains into its lakes. The City of Fenton is also in the midst of development boom. In 1993, it began construction of a retail center directly south of Fenton Township. Clearing the vegetation at the retail site led to high levels of runoff and brought dirt, oil and other contaminants into Lake Ponemah via a main county drain, the Egyptian Drain. After especially heavy rains in 1996, a plume of contaminants stretched out 300 yards from the main drain into the lake.
	Carl Gabrielson, the township supervisor, noted that the township had difficulty in getting City of Fenton officials to appreciate the impact of their development activities on the quality of the township's groundwater and to take action. In 1997, the township began to engage city officials in discussions aimed at resolving the problem. However, city officials did not take any positive action until township officials enlisted the aid of the County Drain Commissioner and the Michigan Department of Environment Quality (MDEQ). Gabrielson said that township officials waged a campaign writing letters and sending photographs of the problem to city, county and state officials. Once others became aware of the problem faced by the township, City of Fenton officials began to cooperate.
	City officials have agreed to keep a reasonable level of vegetative cover near the drain leading from the retail development to slow-down runoff. They are also maintaining more green space in and around the retail center to reduce run-off. With the retail center more than 50% complete, township officials are now concerned that once the parking lots are asphalted, run-off from the retail center will again become a problem. Discussions between township and city officials are on-going. Township officials would like to see a filtering system installed before the main drain from the retail center to maintain water quality. According to Gabrielson, township officials see it as their responsibility to maintain water quality in their township for their residents and for residents in townships further north. He hopes that officials in Fenton City and other neighboring municipalities to the south will take the initiative to protect their groundwater so that Fenton Township residents can also have clean water. Copies of the Lake Study and the Groundwater Vulnerability Study are available at the Fenton Township office. Please contact Carl Gabrielson if you are interested. The Groundwater Vulnerability Study is available at the Regional Groundwater Center website: www.flint.umich.edu/Departments/RegionalGroundwater/fthydro.htm

Institute of Water Research - MSU
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