Finally, it must be realized that the plant community is only an indicator of the presence of water and may, in some cases, be misleading. This is particularly true when a site has been disturbed or planted with species that would not exist there naturally. As an indicator of the presence of water, however, soils can provide valuable information. There are many different types of soils that are found in wetlands including mucks, peat, loams, clays, and sands. Mucks and peat are obvious wetland soils but even loam, clay, and sandy soils can be wetland soils if they were frequently saturated or inundated while they were being formed.
Soil scientists can interpret soils in a way that describes the history of water exposure.
Soil surveys are available for most counties in Michigan and those unavailable will be completed soon. Modern Soil Surveys have been produced by detailed field work translated into coded areas on aerial photographs. Each major soil series is identified throughout the county and described in text. Reviewing descriptions for soils on a parcel can provide a great deal of information about the likely presence or absence of wetland conditions. Other useful information is seasonal depth to groundwater, typical vertical profiles, suitability of the soil for various purposes, etc.