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Updated: Mar 8, 2026

Watershed Planning within a Quantitative Scenario Analysis Framework
Published on: July 24, 2016
Simulating the hydrologic cycle in coal mining subsidence areas with a distributed hydrologic model
Jianhua Wang1, Chuiyu Lu1, Qingyan Sun1
1State Key Laboratory of Simulation and Regulation of Water Cycles in River Basins, China Institute of Water Resources and Hydropower Research, Beijing, 100038, P. R. China.
Coal mining subsidence creates water bodies that can be integrated into water resource planning. These subsidence area waters (SW) interact with groundwater, acting as a source in wet seasons and a sink in dry seasons.
Area of Science:
- Hydrology
- Environmental Science
- Water Resource Management
Background:
- Coal mining subsidence and water-filling cause environmental issues, particularly in high phreatic water level plains.
- Understanding the hydrologic cycle in these areas is crucial for remediation and water resource development.
Purpose of the Study:
- To simulate the interactions between subsidence area water (SW) and hydrologic factors.
- To quantify water availability in Huainan coal mining subsidence areas (HCMSs).
Main Methods:
- Developed the River-Subsidence-Groundwater Model (RSGM) based on a distributed hydrologic model.
- Analyzed water balance and the annual cycle of SW-groundwater interaction.
Main Results:
- Groundwater recharge to SW is a small fraction of the total water source due to weak groundwater flow.
- SW acts as a net groundwater source in the wet season and a net sink in the dry season.
- An average of 905.34 million m³ of water is available annually in HCMSs.
Conclusions:
- HCMSs represent a significant potential water resource.
- Integrating SW into water resource planning can enhance water supply infrastructure.
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