Abstract
Changes in groundwater level, hydrochemistry, and aquifer parameters were studied by following disturbances caused by tunnel excavation in a panel in the Ningtiaota coalfield, northwest China. Temporal changes of hydrochemical compositions were evaluated based on time-series hydrochemical data in three boreholes (J2, J13, and SK8). The time series of hydraulic conductivity and specific storage of aquifers were obtained using the water level response to Earth tides and long-term (from 2014 to 2019) hourly recorded water level data. The results showed that the concentrations of Ca2+, HCO3−, and TDS in groundwater in borehole J2 decreased sharply following underground tunnel excavation and recovered after six months. Back and forth changes also occurred in the hydrochemical types (HCO3–Ca → HCO3–Ca–Mg → HCO3–Ca). The excavation caused changes in hydraulic conductivity (about 2 order of magnitudes) and groundwater level (about 3.2 m), possibly by unclogging fractures. This in turn caused hydrochemical changes, such as silicate dissolution and calcite precipitation, possibly due to inflow of dilute water from neighboring aquifers. After the disturbance, the concentrations of Ca2+, HCO3−, and TDS in groundwater gradually recovered as the aquifer and groundwater levels both tended to recover, possibly due to the reclogging of fractures. This study on the coupled evolution of hydrological processes could enhance our understanding of the effects of mining on aquifer systems.
Zusammenfassung
Zur Verfolgung der durch den Tunnelbau verursachten Störungen in einem Flöz des Ningtiaota-Kohlefelds im Nordosten Chinas wurden die Veränderungen des Grundwasserspiegels, der Hydrochemie und der Parameter eines Grundwasserleiters untersucht. Die zeitliche Schwankung der hydrochemischen Zusammensetzung wurde anhand von Zeitreihen aus drei Bohrlöchern (J2, J13 und SK8) evaluiert. Bedingt durch gezeitenbedingte Wasserspiegeländerungen wurden mittels langfristig aufgezeichneter (2014-2019) stündlicher Wasserspiegeldaten Zeitreihen der hydraulischen Leitfähigkeit und der spezifischen Speicherung des Aquifers erstellt. Die Ergebnisse zeigten, dass die Konzentrationen von Ca2+, HCO3− und TDS im Grundwasser des Bohrlochs J2 nach dem Tunnelbau stark abnahmen und sich nach sechs Monaten wieder erholten. Auch der hydrochemische Typ wechselte vom HCO3-Ca-Typ zum HCO3-Ca-Mg-Typ und wieder zurück zum HCO3-Ca-Typ. Der Tunnelbau führte zu Veränderungen der hydraulischen Leitfähigkeit (etwa um 2 Größenordnungen) und des Grund¬wasserspiegels (etwa 3,2 Meter), möglicherweise durch das Freilegen von Klüften. Dies wiederum führte zu hydrochemischen Veränderungen, wie die Auflösung von Silikat und die Ausfällung von Calcit, möglicherweise durch den Zufluss verdünnenden Wassers aus benachbarten Grundwasserleitern. Nach der Störung erholten sich die Konzentrationen von Ca2+, HCO3− und TDS im Grundwasser allmählich, da sowohl der Grundwasserleiter als auch der Grundwasserspiegel sich regenerierten, was möglicherweise auf die Verstopfung der Klüfte zurückzuführen war. Diese Studie über die gekoppelte Entwicklung hydrologischer Prozesse kann unser Verständnis zu den Auswirkungen des Bergbaus auf Aquifersysteme verbessern.
Resumen
Se estudiaron los cambios en el nivel de las aguas subterráneas, la hidroquímica y los parámetros del acuífero siguiendo las perturbaciones causadas por la excavación de un túnel en un panel de la cuenca carbonífera de Ningtiaota, en el noroeste de China. Se evaluaron los cambios temporales de las composiciones hidroquímicas basándose en los datos hidroquímicos de las series temporales de tres sondeos (J2, J13 y SK8). Las series temporales de conductividad hidráulica y almacenamiento específico de los acuíferos se obtuvieron utilizando la respuesta del nivel del agua a las mareas terrestres y los datos del nivel del agua registrados a largo plazo (de 2014 a 2019) cada hora. Los resultados mostraron que las concentraciones de Ca2+, HCO3− y TDS en el agua subterránea del pozo J2 disminuyeron bruscamente tras la excavación del túnel subterráneo y se recuperaron después de seis meses. También se produjeron cambios de ida y vuelta en los tipos hidroquímicos (HCO3-Ca → HCO3-Ca-Mg → HCO3-Ca). La excavación provocó cambios en la conductividad hidráulica (alrededor de 2 órdenes de magnitud) y en el nivel de las aguas subterráneas (alrededor de 3,2 m), posiblemente por la desobstrucción de las fracturas. Esto, a su vez, provocó cambios hidroquímicos, como la disolución de silicatos y la precipitación de calcita, posiblemente debido a la entrada de agua diluida procedente de acuíferos vecinos. Tras la perturbación, las concentraciones de Ca2+, HCO3− y TDS en las aguas subterráneas se recuperaron gradualmente a medida que los niveles del acuífero y de las aguas subterráneas tendían a recuperarse, posiblemente debido a la reobstrucción de las fracturas. Este estudio sobre la evolución acoplada de los procesos hidrológicos podría mejorar nuestra comprensión de los efectos de la minería en los sistemas acuíferos.
概括
通过跟踪中国西北拧条塔煤田某盘区巷道的开挖扰动, 研究了地下水位、水化学特征和含水层参数的变化。依据三个钻孔 (J2、J13和SK8) 的水化学数据时间序列值, 评价了水化学成分的时间变化。利用水位的地球潮汐响应和长期 (2014年 ~ 2019年) 小时水位数据, 得到了含水层的渗透系数和储水系数时间序列值。结果显示, 地下巷道采掘之后, J2孔内地下水的Ca2+、HCO3−浓度和TDS值迅速下降, 六个月之后再次恢复。水化学类型也发生了前后往复式变化 (HCO3-Ca → HCO3-Ca-Mg → HCO3-Ca) 。巷道挖掘导致渗透系数 (约2个数量级) 和地下水位 (约3.2米) 发生了变化, 可能由含水层的裂隙联通引起。进而, 又引起水化学变化, 如硅酸盐溶解和方解石沉淀, 可能由相邻含水层的稀释水流引起。在采矿扰动之后, 地下水的Ca2+、HCO3−浓度和TDS值随含水层和地下水位的恢复也逐渐恢复, 推测由裂隙重新堵塞引起。水文过程的耦合演变研究将有助于深化采矿活动对含水层系统影响的理解。
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Acknowledgements
This work was supported by the National Key Research and Development Project of China (2018YFC0406401) and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (41272269). We thank Dr. Xiang Ding, Xiangyang Liang, and Jianwen Wang from the CCTEG Xi’an Research Institute and the Ningtiaota Coal Mining Administration for their assistance in field work.
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Qu, S., Wang, G., Shi, Z. et al. Impact of Mining Activities on Groundwater Level, Hydrochemistry, and Aquifer Parameters in a Coalfield’s Overburden Aquifer. Mine Water Environ 41, 640–653 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10230-022-00875-6
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10230-022-00875-6