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 SO2- 4; (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.
LI Qian, MA Long, LIU Tingxi. Transformation among precipitation, surface water, groundwater, and mine water in the Hailiutu River Basin under mining activity. Journal of Arid Land, 2022, 14(6): 620-636.
Fig. 1Location of the sampling sites in the Hailiutu River Basin
Season
Statistic index
Surface water
Ca2+ (mg/L)
Mg2+ (mg/L)
Na+ (mg/L)
K+ (mg/L)
Cl- (mg/L)
SO2- 4 (mg/L)
HCO- 3 (mg/L)
NO- 3 (mg/L)
TDS (mg/L)
pH
Normal water
Max
162.91
57.06
1762.11
14.15
318.44
2679.93
469.88
11.02
1258.00
9.07
Min
4.70
0.78
29.97
0.35
33.21
98.90
181.23
3.49
212.00
8.24
Average
46.74
19.25
788.37
5.70
133.14
907.40
274.81
7.44
576.00
8.43
SD
49.98
19.25
582.12
4.90
98.59
949.17
94.39
2.80
381.00
0.28
CV
1.07
1.00
0.74
0.86
0.74
1.05
0.34
0.38
0.66
0.03
Wet
Max
150.43
70.24
464.34
6.71
69.52
609.52
276.42
12.25
997.00
9.04
Min
60.70
27.08
17.34
0.84
10.50
41.10
198.93
0.05
176.00
8.01
Average
99.37
41.57
134.58
2.65
31.13
171.53
245.69
4.25
422.00
8.37
SD
25.75
14.94
154.33
2.16
17.35
164.46
24.08
3.92
277.00
0.27
CV
0.26
0.36
1.15
0.82
0.56
0.96
0.10
0.92
0.66
0.03
Dry
Max
262.82
76.73
1100.39
18.27
134.36
1810.76
338.05
33.18
1090.00
8.83
Min
62.85
4.41
54.22
1.76
17.01
48.87
228.83
1.81
191.00
8.20
Average
131.77
39.98
374.63
7.77
57.12
506.39
275.14
8.41
473.00
8.53
SD
56.25
28.59
338.33
4.94
36.01
570.91
29.65
8.81
291.00
0.15
CV
0.43
0.72
0.90
0.64
0.63
1.13
0.11
1.05
0.62
0.02
Groundwater
Normal water
Max
122.86
20.13
600.50
4.59
107.12
174.63
268.22
226.08
258.00
8.16
Min
2.86
0.47
10.25
0.34
14.26
19.55
144.98
1.61
93.00
7.55
Average
26.80
7.76
82.39
1.09
32.68
74.78
185.29
51.94
169.00
7.86
SD
32.19
6.49
158.93
1.08
24.92
43.10
34.09
61.61
42.40
0.17
CV
1.20
0.84
1.93
0.99
0.76
0.58
0.18
1.19
0.25
0.02
Wet
Max
159.69
57.97
79.32
15.52
37.16
69.32
336.83
69.16
328.00
8.56
Min
2.00
4.91
6.35
0.03
3.53
12.52
124.48
0.00
109.00
7.71
Average
68.03
25.01
26.00
1.31
11.18
25.46
201.60
16.09
176.00
8.06
SD
35.22
14.35
19.68
3.46
9.07
14.16
49.99
17.92
59.04
0.20
CV
0.52
0.57
0.76
2.65
0.81
0.56
0.25
1.11
0.34
0.02
Dry
Max
150.42
55.63
224.22
10.57
39.42
145.29
372.83
153.24
245.00
8.67
Min
21.39
2.78
18.85
0.21
5.58
10.32
155.60
0.16
103.00
7.67
Average
78.38
21.42
59.85
2.12
13.11
43.36
229.40
30.53
168.00
8.23
SD
32.77
15.85
50.91
2.69
8.43
35.53
58.16
44.45
47.28
0.26
CV
0.42
0.74
0.85
1.27
0.64
0.82
0.25
1.46
0.28
0.03
Table 1 Major ions concentrations in surface water and groundwater of the Hailiutu River Basin
Fig. 2Piper trilinear diagram for different types of water body in the Hailiutu River Basin. (a), normal water season; (b), wet season; (c), dry season. Groundwater samples: H1-H5, H8, H12-H16, H18, Y1, and Y2; surface water samples: h1-h4, h6, h7, and y1-y3; mine water samples: K1-K4; and precipitation samples: J1-J4 for normal water season. Groundwater samples: H1-H18, Y1 and Y2; surface water samples: h1-h11 and y1-y4; mine water samples: K1-K4; and precipitation samples: J1-J4 for wet and dry seasons.
Fig. 3Gibbs diagram for different types of water body. (a1 and a2), normal water season; (b1 and b2), wet season; (c1 and c2), dry season.
Fig. 4Ion ratio of different types of water body. (a), (Ca2++Mg2+)/(HCO- 3+SO2- 4); (b), (Ca2++Mg2+)/SO2- 4; (c), (Ca2++Mg2+)/HCO- 3.
Fig. 5Composition of heavy metals in the groundwater. (a), Al; (b), Mn; (c), Ni; (d), Cu; (e), Zn; (f), Ge; (g), Pb.
Fig. 6Relationship between δD and δ18O in precipitation. LWML, local meteoric water line; GWML, global meteoric water line.
Season
δ18O (‰)
δD(‰)
Maximum
Minimum
Average
Maximum
Minimum
Average
Normal water
-8.46
-13.42
-10.67
-48.11
-75.89
-59.85
Wet
-6.67
-10.94
-8.71
-62.42
-97.07
-78.05
Dry
-9.77
-13.60
-11.93
-73.60
-101.44
-86.70
Table 2 δD and δ18O data of precipitation
Fig. 7Relationship between δD and δ18O. (a1 and a2), normal water season; (b1 and b2), wet season; (c1 and c2), dry season.
Season
Surface water
Fitting equation
δ18O (‰)
δD (‰)
Maximum
Minimum
Average
Maximum
Minimum
Average
Normal water
-6.21
-7.36
-6.97
-50.98
-61.79
-56.51
δD=7.87δ18O-1.67
Wet
-6.61
-8.16
-7.39
-56.71
-64.38
-60.24
δD=4.71δ18O-25.45
Dry
-6.81
-7.86
-7.23
-57.75
-59.74
-58.54
δD=1.13δ18O-50.38
Groundwater
Normal water
-7.57
-11.02
-9.21
-57.55
-86.19
-69.44
δD=8.28δ18O+6.85
Wet
-7.99
-10.66
-9.06
-56.71
-86.08
-69.42
δD=10.36δ18O+24.37
Dry
-7.90
-9.98
-7.23
-62.31
-76.60
-67.12
δD=6.41δ18O-10.29
Table 3 δD and δ18O of different types of water body in the natural watershed
Season
Surface water
Fitting equation
δ18O (‰)
δD (‰)
Maximum
Minimum
Average
Maximum
Minimum
Average
Normal water
-7.47
-8.50
-7.98
-58.40
-68.90
-64.47
δD=4.31δ18O-30.02
Wet
-4.31
-9.23
-8.01
-53.51
-70.01
-62.57
δD=2.53δ18O-42.29
Dry
-7.28
-9.01
-8.30
-56.89
-73.30
-64.34
δD=6.25δ18O-12.48
Groundwater
Normal water
-7.61
-9.80
-8.60
-58.53
-77.46
-65.01
δD=7.38δ18O-1.60
Wet
-7.23
-10.25
-8.37
-56.52
-80.95
-63.76
δD=6.80δ18O-7.35
Dry
-8.05
-10.35
-8.85
-59.75
-78.58
-65.31
δD=7.21δ18O-1.51
Mine water
Normal water
-8.85
-9.96
-9.30
-69.14
-81.86
-74.91
δD=8.60δ18O+4.80
Wet
-8.24
-10.20
-9.09
-63.28
-73.30
-67.37
δD=4.70δ18O-24.70
Dry
-9.19
-10.84
-9.90
-77.11
-85.03
-80.91
δD=4.80δ18O-32.90
Table 4 δD and δ18O of different types of water body in the mining areas and downstream of the Hailiutu River Basin
Fig. 8(a1 and a2), δ18O and TDS variations in the surface water and groundwater in the unmined area along the course of the Hailiutu River Basin; (b), schematic diagram of water transfer between the surface and aquifers in the unmined area; (c), proportion of transfer between surface water and groundwater in the unmined area.
Fig. 9(a1 and a2), δ18O and TDS variation in the surface water, groundwater, and mine water in the mining area and downstream of the Hailiutu River Basin; (b), schematic diagram of water transfer between the surface and aquifers in the mining areas and downstream of the Hailiutu River Basin; (c), proportion of transfer between surface water and groundwater in the mining area and downstream of the Hailiutu River Basin.
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