Chapter Six

Natural Resources
Every comprehensive plan must consider conditions, natural and man-made, which have influenced and will
continue to influence changes and patterns of development in the community.
Natural features influence current and future development patterns. The intent of this Chapter is to examine
and evaluate existing natural features and physical conditions, which will influence subsequent planning and
development decision-making.
The maps included in this Chapter depicting natural features in the section are based upon the most current
information available.

Soils
Most of the soils in Holland Charter Township were formed by materials deposited during glacial activity.
Other factors of soil formation include wind-deposited material, alluvial soils in floodplains, and organic soils.
Within the Township, 45 separate soil types can be found. These are further broken down according to slope
to produce 69 soil types, which are combined into four broad categories sand, sand-loam, loamy sand, and
loam.
In general, soils in the area are characterized by high permeability, slow runoff, low available water supply,
high acidity, and medium-to-low fertility. Because of its location near Lake Michigan and its topography, most
of the Township lies in an area with a very high water table. This is one of the most important factors
controlling the capabilities of the soil.
The Township has significant areas containing soils that are well suited for crop production. Much of this
land, however, is very fragile with respect to high water tables and climatic conditions. During dry periods,
these soils are susceptible to wind erosion. Valuable topsoil can be stripped away, making the land less
productive for crop production. During wet periods, water has a tendency to pond on these soils, making
cultivation difficult. Proper soil management is essential everywhere within Holland Charter Township to
produce quality crops and high yields. Map 6-1 Prime Farmlands shows the amount of land conducive to
raising crops. Much of the past development in Holland Charter Township has occurred primarily in areas of
marginal to poor agricultural suitability. However, the best agricultural soils lie in the path of present and
future development east of the City of Holland and to the northeast.
Sites being developed in Sections 10, 11 and 12 are within areas depicted as Prime Farmland. These
developments and others planned raise the question of whether farmland preservation methods should be
implemented in selected portions of the Township. Because of the availability of urban services, the
Township has chosen not have an aggressive farmland preservation program.
The suitability of soil for on-site wastewater disposal and land development is becoming a moot question in
the Township. The 1980 Comprehensive Plan provided data and recommendations regarding septic tanks
and construction issues. However, the Township is now served with public water supply and wastewater
collection utilities. All new development areas are or will be served by these utilities. As such, soil suitability
for septic tanks in the Township is not a material issue needing to be addressed. Furthermore, modern road,
utility, and building foundation construction technology largely negate consensus regarding soil suitability for
underground and aboveground construction.

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Wetlands
Wetland is a term used when referring to marshes, swamps, bogs, and similar features often found between
open water and upland areas. Wet areas and hydric (organic) soils are typical and generally occurring in the
Holland area.
While often viewed negatively as a source of mosquitoes and as wasteland, wetlands are a valuable natural
resource and are critical in the ecosystem. Some 11 million acres of wetland existed in Michigan in 1950
compared to about 3 million acres as of the date of this Plan. Coastal wetlands along Lake Michigan
encompassing nearly 400,000 acres have been reduced to about 100,000 acres.
Wetlands provide many direct benefits to the total ecosystem and human habitat. These include:

Reducing flooding by absorbing runoff from rain and melting snow and slowly releasing it into rivers
and lakes. (One-acre, flooded to a depth of one foot, contains 325,851 gallons of water.)

Filtering pollutants from surface runoff, trapping fertilizers, pesticides, sediments, and other potential
contaminants, and breaking them down into less harmful substances, improving water clarity, and
quality.

Recharging groundwater supplies when connected to underground aquifers.

Contributing to natural nutrient and water cycles, and producing vital atmospheric gases, including
oxygen.

Providing commercial and recreational values to the economy, by producing plants, game birds
(ducks and geese) and fur-bearing mammals. Survival of certain varieties of fish directly depends on
wetlands, requiring shallow water areas for breeding, feeding, and escape from predators.

Serving as nutrient traps, when wetlands occur next to the Great Lakes, inland lakes, or streams.

The 1992 Ottawa County Development Plan identifies areas along the Black River in Sections 25, 26 and 36
of Holland Charter Township as significant wetlands. Map 6-2 Wetlands depicts existing wetlands in
Holland Charter Township.
The wetlands shown are typically regulated wetlands, meaning any modifications or earth change within the
area of the wetland must be authorized by a permit from the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality
(MDEQ). If wetland modification is permitted, such activity most often is accompanied by mitigation
measures. Generally, this will involve replacement of lost wetland in the geographic area on a basis of 1.5
acres created wetland for each 1.0 acre lost.

Woodlands
Perhaps the most ignored natural feature as development occurs, wooded lands can act as buffers and
moderators of erosion, flooding, air pollution, and temperature. Specific benefits of woodlands include:

Providing a varied and rich environment for plants and animals. Forest layers, including canopy,
branches, trunks, shrubs, and plants on the forest floor provide breeding, feeding, and refuge areas
for many species of insects, birds, and mammals.

Protecting watersheds and soils. Forest vegetation moderates the effects of winds and storms,
stabilizes and enriches the soil, and slows runoff, allowing the forest floor to filter stormwater.

Serving as buffers to the sights, sounds, and odors of civilization. Woodlands mute noise from
freeways and factories, and absorb air pollutants.

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When adjacent to primary roadways or large parking areas, woodlands can provide visual relief from
a monotonous urban setting.

Moderating climate, when present in significant areas. The microclimate of woodlands, created in
part by the shade of the trees and the transpiration of water from the leaves, keeps surrounding air at
an even temperature. Forest temperatures are generally cooler in the day and warmer at night than
the more widely varying temperatures of un-forested areas, creating natural air conditioners.

Much of the woodlands left in Holland Charter Township exist in smaller plots and along the Black River and
smaller streams. Woodlands have largely given way to suburban development and agricultural production.
Map 6-3 Forested Woodland depicts existing woodlands in the Township. While shown on the map, a
number of these lands have been or are being developed as subdivisions, condominiums, commercial or
industrial use sites. Thus, very few trees remain on these sites.
Commonly occurring species include Ash and Sassafras along Pine Creek, with Oak, Maple, White Pine and
Sycamore generally found in woodlands within the Township.
As development of woodlands (and open lands) occurs in the Township, policies are needed to assure an
adequate level of replacement trees. Cleared woodlands, upon development, should be extensively
replanted. Open lands, as developed, should also receive tree plantings. In general terms, re-plantings
should be with commonly occurring mature species more likely to grow and remain healthy.
Application of re-planting policies are appropriate for buffers between users or developments, public or private
streetscapes, common parking areas, common open spaces within a private development, open yard areas
attendant to public facilities, and existing natural areas to be preserved from active development.

Surface Waters
Holland Charter Township has limited access to significant surface water. The major water features within the
Township are the Black River and Lake Macatawa.
Located at the mouth of the Black River, Lake Macatawa, also know as Black Lake, extends nearly five miles
to its outlet in Lake Michigan. It is a generally narrow lake, although in a few areas it is over a mile wide.
Much of the lake is very shallow. A narrow shipping channel is maintained through its center. This channel is
periodically dredged to a depth of approximately 21 feet. Lighted buoys are maintained in the Lake, marking
the channel for pleasure craft and Great Lakes shipping traffic. Buoys are also placed to warn of shallow
water and no-wake zones.
Commercial marinas occupy much of the Lake Macatawa shoreline. Holland Charter Townships commercial
interests depend upon the seasonably heavy tourist trade brought about by the attraction to Lake Macatawa
and Lake Michigan. The population of the Holland area also increases in summer, due to additional
occupancy of many homes and temporary accommodations.
The recreational value of Lake Macatawa is very high. Water skiing and sailing appear to be the major
activities and fishing is on the rise. The Department of Natural Resources has conducted programs to rid the
lake of trash fish such as carp, sheepshead, and suckers. There have been several successful plantings of
game fish, such as walleye and bass.
The quality of Lake Macatawa water continues to improve. Area-wide public wastewater collection systems
and ever improving wastewater treatment contribute to improving water quality. The elimination of septic
tanks and drain fields has also helped water quality.
The Black River flows west to northwest from the southeast corner of the Township. The Black River empties
into the east end of Lake Macatawa. Associated with the River are several small ponds and oxbow lakes,
and a large marsh near the Rivers mouth. This area serves as a breeding ground for waterfowl and fish and
is a fragile ecosystem.
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The Black River watershed extends across Zeeland Township and into Blendon, Jamestown and Overisel
Townships. A vast majority of the watershed area contains active crop and animal production. Casual
observation of the Black River reveals high sedimentation following rain events even minor ones. This
suggests high amounts of sediment entering Lake Macatawa. Moreover, the Rivers ecosystem and fish
habitat are very stressed due to sediment levels.
Erosion control practices in both rural and urban portions of the Black River watershed must be conducted at
optimum levels using Best Management Practices. Farm operators need to reserve negative borders along
swales, ditches, drains and streams to limit direct runoff and wash of soil. Development of urban lands should
be accompanied by careful erosion control efforts for disturbed surface soils and collection of silt and debris
from streets and paved areas before discharge to closed drains or drainage ditches.

100-Year Floodplain
Holland Charter Township contains limited land areas within the established 100-year floodplain (Map 6-4).
The Lake Macatawa and the Black River shorelines are within the established floodplain. Areas along the
Bosch and Hulst Drain in Sections 2, 11, 14 and 23 are within the 100-year floodplain. Additional floodplain is
found along County Drain Numbers 8, 15, 17 and 40 in Sections 8, 9, 16, 17 and 21. The Pine Creek
floodplain extends through portions of Sections 6, 7, 18 and 19.
Construction and land development activities along Pine Creek and in Sections 11, 14 and 16 have caused
modifications to the floodplain limits. Commercial development occurring in Section 16 west of US-31 is
occurring in the 100-year floodplain.
Township ordinances, Ottawa County Drain Commission standards, and insurance criteria arising from
regulations of the Federal Emergency Management Agency tend to limit the nature and extent of floodplain
encroachments.
Floodplain areas should be planned storage areas for floodwater and excess stormwater during rainfall
events.

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