WWRC 97-05aa
Assessing the Cumulative Impacts of Surface Mining and Coal Bed
Methane Development on Shallow Aquifers in the Powder River Basin, Wyoming
Abstract
Large scale surface coal mining has been active along
the cropline of the Wyodak-Anderson coal seam
since approximately 1977. Groundwater impacts due
to surface mining of coal and other energy related
development is a primary regulatory concern and an
identified deficiency in the Wyoming coal program.
The modeled aquifers are the upper unit (coal) of the
Paleocene Fort Union Formation and the overlying
Eocene Wasatch Formation. A regional groundwater
model using MODFLOW covering 790 square miles
was constructed to simulate the impacts from three
surface coal mines and coal bed methane
development occurring downdip. Assessing
anisotropy of the coal aquifer, quality checking of in
situ aquifer tests and database maintenance and
integrity were precursors to modeling. Data was
kriged to develop the structural model of the aquifers.
A GIS was utilized to facilitate storage, analysis,
display, development of input modeling arrays and
assessment of hydrologic boundaries. Model output
presents the predicted impacts of likely development
scenarios including impacts from coal bed methane
development and surface coal mining through
anticipated life of mining and surface mining impacts
independent of gas development.
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