This Earthcache is located in the Waterloo State Recreation Area. The access road is a natural one; please use the recommended parking area as this will make your hike a short one. You may also choose to hike here using the Waterloo-Pinckney Trail, which will make your trek here considerably longer.
Glacial activity thousands of years ago created many of the water features seen throughout Michigan and the Midwest. Massive moving ice carved the earth, while ice melt filled the gouges and created the Great Lakes and many other lakes and ponds. Shallower areas, often with poor drainage, became wetlands.
Baldwin Flooding is an example of this. Covering 63 acres, Baldwin Flooding is a wetland of the emergent class, characterized by erect, rooted, water-loving plant growth. This environment provides a natural habitat brooding ground for many types of waterfowl, shore birds, and wading birds; Baldwin Flooding is a favorite destination for bird watchers. Many reptiles, amphibians, and mammals can also be seen at Baldwin Flooding.
In spring of 2004, the natural geology of the area combined with unprecedented precipitation with disastrous results. The heavy rains damaged the levee that helps maintain proper wetland hydrology, and the wetland water poured into the creek downstream, completely draining Baldwin Flooding.
This important wetland is now slowly being rehabilitated, thanks to a joint venture between Michigan Department of Natural Resources, the North American Wetlands Conservation Council, and several local organizations. A new water-control structure was erected, a new water gauge is scheduled to be installed, and the levee and emergency spillway have been restored. The flora and fauna of Baldwin Flooding have reestablished themselves, and, although still fragile, Baldwin Flooding shows strong signs of full recovery.
To receive credit for this cache, please email Team FMA the following information, answered correctly, to receive logging approval:
1. Carefully examine the wetland acreage spreading out before you and compare it to the drier, firmer ground level at the parking lot behind you. Why don't the wetlands extend further out than their current boundaries?
2. Waterloo State Recreation Area is known for its many glacial lakes, including the nearby Sugarloaf, Crooked, and Mud Lakes. What needed to happen in order for Baldwin Flooding to have become Baldwin Lake?
3. How does the emergency spillway protect Baldwin Flooding from draining as it did in 2004?
4. How will the presence of a water gauge assist in wetland management?
5. Identify a minimum of two wetland plants that are found at Baldwin Flooding.
6. Identify a minimum of three animals that inhabit Baldwin Flooding. One must be a water bird; one must be a reptile. Please do not simply answer "frogs" or "ducks" or "turtles." We want you to tell us what kind of duck, what kind of frog, what kind of turtle. We'll ask you to elaborate if you provide a generic answer.
7. Optional: Post a photo of yourself or a member of your team with your GPSr by the footbridge at Baldwin Flooding. Alternately, email us with the name of the person for whom funding for the Baldwin Flooding restoration was provided as a memorial. You will find this information on a plaque at Baldwin Flooding. Please don't post a photo of the plaque!
Thank you for visiting Baldwin Flooding and learning more about wetlands!
IMPORTANT! PLEASE READ! Team FMA created this Earthcache to share some of Michigan's geology with you, not to create a photo op that comes with a smiley. If you do not plan on submitting your responses within 24 hours of logging this Earthcache as found — or if you need more time because you are still traveling — then please use the "write a note" option instead. "Write a note" will give you all the time you need to complete the additional logging requirements for this Earthcache. Found logs that are not followed within 24 hours by ADL submission will be deleted; sorry, no freebie smileys! If you submit answers that are partially (or completely) incorrect, you will be given two weeks' time to correct them. We are happy to give clues and hints to guide you towards the answers, but we will not just give the answers away! Please remember that Earthcaches are meant to teach visitors about the geology and natural science of a site. You must actually physically visit the site. No armchair caching is allowed, nor can you drive someone to an EC site, have them look around, then claim you've "found" the EC! Earthcaches are overseen by the Geological Society of America and are completely different from a regular Groundspeak geocache. You'll find full details about Earthcaching at http://www.earthcache.org. Finally, and this should go without saying, if you hated school as a kid/teen, disliked taking tests, or simply don't like science, please reconsider Earthcaching! Earthcaching involves on-site observation and research to learn about the showcased site's geology and natural resources. Logging an Earthcache involves correctly answering questions about your observations and research. If you don't want to put in the effort required to Earthcache, please skip our ECs! Thank you for your cooperation and enjoy your visit.
This Earthcache was placed with permission from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and Environment.
Our thanks to geo_string, the first to find our Earthcache and complete its requirements!