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

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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.

Highlights

  • Use of different parameters and indices to determine water quality often becomes confusing. The water quality index (WQI) introduced in this paper is all encompassing based on the relative weightage of various parameters of drinking water quality index (DWQI) and irrigation water quality index (IWQI) assigned through analytic hierarchy process (AHP). Each single index value for DWQI and IWQI derived through this process eliminate confusion.

  • The spatial distribution map of DWQI and IWQI specifies groundwater in this region is overall suitable for drinking and irrigation purpose with an exception of water from wells in close proximity of the open cast coal mines (OCCMs).

  • Effect of acid mine drainage (AMD) is not observed in the study area. Spatial distribution map of saturation index(SI) displays higher degree of saturation of carbonate minerals (aragonite, calcite and dolomite) in the groundwater at close proximities of OCCMs. These minerals may buffer the low pH of AMD which renders adsorption and precipitation of various metals in the soil/rock and consequently resist the transport of many toxic metals to the groundwater.

  • Groundwater flow model provided a significant idea about the groundwater budget in the study area. Well (OB2) close to OCCM 2 with lowering of water table from 2011-2014 during operating stages of mine substantiates the negative impact of mining and associated dewatering process on the aquifer. Model predicts that in the stage 1 and 2 groundwater seepage into the mine will be 3120.6 m3/d and 24163 m3/d respectively. Water loss from the aquifer will cause lowering of water table in the surrounding areas of mine.

  • 4–5 m lowering of water table may take place around 2.86 km2 area of the mine cavity within 15 years. The irrigational canal may loss water of 1473 m3/d from its stream inflow on enhancement of mine in north-west direction, which may impact on production of agricultural crops in the downstream areas. Present mining operation will not impact much on the flow condition of the Damodar River.

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Acknowledgement

Authors acknowledge Department of Earth and Environmental Studies, National Institute of Technology Durgapur for the laboratory support.

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  1. Department of Earth and Environmental Studies, National Institute of Technology Durgapur, Durgapur, 713 209, India

    Ujjal Mal & Kalyan Adhikari

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  1. Ujjal Mal
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Ujjal Mal carried out the field study, analysed samples and performed experiments and numerical modelling under the supervision of Kalyan Adhikari. Ujjal Mal wrote the draft manuscript, which was modified by Kalyan Adhikari.

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Correspondence to Kalyan Adhikari.

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Communicated by Subimal Ghosh

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Mal, U., Adhikari, K. Groundwater quality and hydrological stress induced by Lower Gondwana open cast coal mine. J Earth Syst Sci 130, 32 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12040-020-01486-x

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