There are also a few long, narrow lakes on the ground moraine. Several small streams originate on the upland ridges of the sub-subsection. Three large rivers, the Paw Paw, St. Joseph, and Kalamazoo, cut through the moraine ridges, creating steep ravines. Soils of the northern three-quarters are sandy loams underlain by either gravelly sand or clays. Most of these soils are moderately well drained or well drained.
Slopes are moderate to steep.
Soils in the southern quarter are silt loams, often underlain by clay subsoils. These soils are also generally well drained or moderately well drained. Poorly drained soils are concentrated on the fine-textured ground moraine. Very poorly drained soils occupy kettle depressions on the end moraine. Kettle depressions supported swamp hardwoods, tamarack, wetland shrubs, and bogs.