Spatiotemporal Evolution Characteristics of Waterlogging Induced by Mining Subsidence with High Groundwater Levels

Coal mining in areas with high groundwater levels leads to mining-induced subsidence and subsequent waterlogging. This phenomenon results in the loss of substantial areas of cultivated land, degrades the ecological environment, and severely impedes the sustainable development of coal resource-based cities. Moreover, subsidence waterlogging represents a substantial waste of water resources and poses significant challenges to their sustainable utilization. It also potentially threatens the health of humans, animals, and plants. However, theoretical research on the evolutionary characteristics of waterlogging volume remains limited. This study employs a spatial information inversion method based on remote sensing technology and land subsidence prediction to obtain data on the spatiotemporal evolution of subsidence waterlogging areas. Based on this, the formation and evolution characteristics of waterlogging areas and the “time lag effect” of waterlogging evolution were analyzed. The evolution of the waterlogging area was identified to progress through four distinct stages: the unformed waterlogging stage, the synchronous growth stage, the residual growth stage, and the seasonal fluctuation stage, and the characteristics of the four evolutionary stages were analyzed. Mining-induced surface deformation provides the necessary basin geometry for subsequent subsidence-related waterlogging, while precipitation supplies water that contributes to its development. Therefore, accurate analysis of the waterlogging evolution process in subsidence areas, along with clarification of its spatiotemporal characteristics and influencing factors, can provide a scientific basis for the prevention and control of waterlogging disasters, as well as for ecological restoration and environmental governance in coal mining regions with high groundwater levels.