Simulation of changes in ground-water levels associated with strip mining

Coal strip mining can influence ground-water levels both spatially and in time in the vicinity of a mine. The magnitude, extent, and timing of such changes are not, however, well known. Through the use of a finite element model that was developed specifically to study these problems, it is possible to solve for the hydraulic-head distribution within a two-dimensional region and for the position of the water table and seepage faces in a mined …