Groundwater quality and hydrological stress induced by Lower Gondwana open cast coal mine

Abstract

Open cast coal mine (OCCM) may impose adverse effects on groundwater quality and on its flow regime. Evaluation of water quality often becomes difficult and confusing due to presence of multiple criteria and index based on different parameters. A novel approach has been introduced which speaks about a single index revealing the effect of all important parameters to determine the quality for a particular use of groundwater. Physico-chemical parameters of groundwater are grouped according to their toxicity and the weightage is permitted to each group using analytic hierarchy process (AHP). Overall groundwater quality is found suitable for drinking (DWQI = 1.5–2) and irrigation (IWQI = 2 to 3) purposes in Barjora area. Effect of acid mine drainage (AMD) is not significant in controlling the quality of groundwater in the study area. Carbonate and silicate weathering are the dominant hydro-geochemical processes occurring in the study area. Saturation index derived through Phreeqc Interactive software shows that calcite and aragonite are at supersaturated condition in close proximities of OCCMs. Buffer reactions of carbonate minerals may attenuate the effect of AMD in the study area. The hydrological stress induced by OCCM has been evaluated in OCCM 2 through numerical modelling using MODFLOW software. Evaluation has been performed in three stages of mine development – pre-mining condition, present mining condition and future extension of mine. It is estimated that groundwater of almost 24,163 m3/d will ingress into the excavation of 2.03 km2 area with maximum depth around 200 m from ground level. Model predicted 4–5 m lowering of water table, as an impact, around 2.86 km2 area of the mine cavity. The irrigation canal passing through this region, will lose 1473 m3/d water during future extension of mine.