PREVENTION OF COAL MINE DRAINAGE FORMATION BY WELL DEWATERING

Special Research Report SR-82 Large quantities of ground-water may be encountered in deep coal mines which must be treated to meet water-quality standards before being discharged. Source beds supplying leakage to deep mines may be dewatered during and after mining under favorable hydrogeologic condi- tions to prevent pollution, thereby minimizing treatment costs and improving working conditions, Requisite hydrologeologic data to deter- mine the feasibility of dewatering may be obtained during the coal exploration program provided that both hydrogeologic and coal explora- tion programs are planned in advance and coordinated, Hydrogeologic data required include the spatial distribution, thickness, and geometry of aquifer and non-aquifer units; hydraulic boundaries that either restrict the flow of ground-water, stratigraphic pinchouts, fault offsets, erosional unconformities, or serve as recharge sources, channel sandstones, flooded deep mines, fractured roofrock etc,; permeability and storage distribution; infiltration capacity of streambed sediments; vertical permeability of confining beds; and hydraulic heads among and between various aquifer and non-aquifer units,