Coal mining impacts on water environs around the Barapukuria coal mining area, Dinajpur, Bangladesh

The present research makes an effort towards awareness of the impact of underground coal mining on water environment around the Barapukuria coal mining area, Dinajpur by direct field investigation, questionnaire survey and laboratory analysis. For this research, the three foremost errands have been mulled over which are the water level data analysis for 10 years from 2001 to 2011, ground water major parametric analysis and the questionnaire survey on the availability of ground water before and after coal mining operation. The results of field and laboratory analysis show that the characteristics and concentrations of all the major physical and chemical parameters such as pH, EC, Temperature, HCO₃ ⁻, NO₃ ⁻, SO₄ ²⁻, Cl⁻, Na⁺, K⁺, Mg²⁺, Ca²⁺ and Fe^(total) are still tolerable for all purposes and also within the standard limit. On the other hand, the questionnaire survey and water level data analysis confirm almost similar results regarding the depletion of water level. The water level has depleted more than 5 m from 2001 to 2011. Therefore, currently the availability of ground water is normal in the rainy and winter seasons but is slight problematic in the dry season where ground water was available at all times prior to coal mining in the area. From these scenarios, it is comprehensible that the ground water level moves downwards than earlier because of the excess pumping of water from the mine area. Besides the natural recharge condition is not enough and somewhere breaks off while some of the mines out areas are subsided, consequently the upper part of the water bearing formations (aquifer) loses its porous and permeable properties resulting water recharging problem which is directly responsible for depleting the ground water level over the area. Moreover, the water levels will also decline relative to the location, depth, recharge, and discharge conditions of the mine both aerially and vertically while there is a typical relationship between the depth of mining and static water level which is water levels will decline more as the mine goes deeper. Therefore, taking into account the current ground water condition and the depth of Barapukuria coal mine, this research implied that the water level will deplete more in day coming and the water crisis will be more for future. Thus, this research recommends a sustainable guideline for long-term planning and also suggests that regular monitoring with time to time more detail qualitative and quantitative assessments of water bodies in the area.