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Transformation among precipitation, surface water, groundwater, and mine water in the Hailiutu River Basin under mining activity

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Abstract

Coal mining has changed the hydrogeological conditions of river basins, and studying how the relationship among different types of water body has changed under the influence of coal mining is of great significance for understanding the regional hydrological cycle. We analyzed the temporal and spatial distribution of hydrochemical properties and environmental isotopes in the Hailiutu River Basin (HRB), China with a mixed model. The results showed that: (1) human activity (e.g., coal mining and agricultural production) causes considerable changes in the hydrochemical properties of surface water in and around the mining areas, and leads to significant increases in the concentrations of Na+ and \(\rm{SO}_4^{2-}\); (2) precipitation is the main source of water vapour in the HRB. The transformation between surface water and groundwater in the natural watershed is mainly affected by precipitation; and (3) in the mining areas, the average contribution rates of precipitation to the recharge of surface water and groundwater increased by 2.6%–7.9% and 2.7%–9.9%, respectively. Groundwater in the Salawusu Formation constitutes up to 61.3%–72.4% of mine water. Overall, this study is beneficial for quantifying the effects of coal mining on local hydrological cycles. The research results can provide a reference for local water resources management and ecological environment improvement.

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Acknowledgements

This research was supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China (2018YFC0406401) and the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region “Grassland Talents” Project.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Water Conservancy and Civil Engineering College, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot, 010018, China

    Qian Li, Long Ma & Tingxi Liu

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  1. Qian Li
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  2. Long Ma
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Correspondence to Long Ma.

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Li, Q., Ma, L. & Liu, T. Transformation among precipitation, surface water, groundwater, and mine water in the Hailiutu River Basin under mining activity. J. Arid Land 14, 620–636 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40333-022-0020-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40333-022-0020-1

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