Hydrology of Flooding Mines

Many deep mines will flood (gain water) after closure. The aquifer in each individual mine may be though of as having a budget of inflows and outflows. If the inflows are greater than the outflows, then water is gained, resulting in mine flooding. This flooding causes the mine to both show a higher water level in wells and to increase in lateral extent of flooding. Typical inflows are vertical infiltration (recharge) and barrier leakage from adjacent mines. Outflows may be pumping from wells or shafts, springs discharging at the surface, and barrier leakage into adjacent mines.