Author(s): Li Shu; Zhang Fengran; Qi Qingsong; Li Ningbo; Wu Junhua

Linked Author(s):

Keywords: Coupled SWAT-VISUAL MODFLOW; Groundwater; Kuye River Basin; Underground mining for coal

Abstract: The Kuye River Basin has experienced a rapid depletion of groundwater due to the increased coal production. In this study, by introducing the empirical equations derived from the three zone theory in the coal mining industry in China as a boundary condition, a calculation model was developed by coupling the soil and water assessment tool and visual modular three-dimensional finite-difference ground-water flow model (SWAT-VISUAL MODFLOW). The model was applied to several coal mines in the basin to quantify the groundwater impact of underground mining. For illustration purposes, three underground mining observation stations were selected for groundwater change simulation in 2009, producing the results that agreed well with the observed data. We found that groundwater level was closely related to the height of the fractured water-conducting zone caused by underground mining and a higher height led to a lower groundwater level. This finding was further supported by the calculation that underground mining was responsible for 23.20mm aquifer breakages in 2009. Thus, preventing surface subsidence due to underground mining can help protecting the basin’s groundwater.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3850/iahr-hic2483430201-171

Year: 2024