Effect of Coal Mining on Springs in the Yushenfu Mining Area of China

Li-Min Fan,Tao Li,Weizhong He,Jianping Chen,Yiwei Ji,Yonghong Li,Jie Peng,Miao-Miao Zheng,Maoxi Xiang,Boyun Wu,Cheng Li,Jiangli Du,Shuai Gao

doi:10.1155/2018/3564360

Li-Min Fan, Tao Li + Show 11 more

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https://doi.org/10.1155/2018/3564360

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Abstract

The main purpose of this study was to analyze the effect of coal mining on the springs in the Yushenfu mining area of China. The results of two springs and hydrological surveys conducted in 1994 and 2015 were compared to study the occurrence and evolution of springs before and after large-scale mining. The mechanism of spring evolution and ecological effects of domain evolution were analyzed by combined groundwater monitoring and evaluation of coal mining intensity. The results show that the maximum amount of single water inflow of spring with sand infiltration recharge was more than 10 L/s, the total amount of single water inflow of spring with mixed infiltration recharge was the highest, and the ecological effect of spring with loess infiltration recharge was the most significant. In the study area, 2580 springs (group) were distributed with a total flow of 4998.9428 L/s before 1994 and 376 residual springs (group) were present with a total flow of 996.392 L/s in 2015. Large-scale mining decreased the regional groundwater level, thus decreasing the amount of spring water. The high intensity of mining decreased the number of springs (group) and area of water and wetland in the study area. This directly affected the watershed ecology; the ecological degradation was significant.

Highlights

Water is very important for human life, production, and ecological environment
Springs are the origin of water resources
Coal mining of China is moving to the west; Western China has become the main coal-producing area, accounting for 70% of the China’s coal output

Summary

Introduction

Water is very important for human life, production, and ecological environment. Springs are the origin of water resources. The occurrence and evolution of springs determine the state of groundwater and surface water. It is important to study the characteristics of spring water. Coal mining of China is moving to the west; Western China has become the main coal-producing area, accounting for 70% of the China’s coal output. Western China generally lacks water resources and has a fragile ecological environment [1]. In the early stage of coal mining in Western China, some experts realized the importance of water resources and environment in the ecologically fragile mining area [5, 6], proposed the concept of “water-preserved mining” [7, 8], and carried out a series of research [9–19]

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