Rising Groundwater Levels in the United Kingdom.

Abstract

Mr Brassington mentions the rise of the water-table in coalfield areas resulting from the reduction in dewatering pumping following mine closures. He points out that in some instances the water quality of newly flowing springs in such areas causes surface water pollution. Examples, he states, are most frequent in northern England, Scotland and South Wales. 39. This is in agreement with my own observations, but I am of the opinion that the extent of the problem created by rising groundwater levels in the British coalfields is not yet fully appreciated. 40. Coal production in Britain has declined fairly steadily from its peak in 1913: output in 1990 was only 33% of what it was then. It would be wrong, however, to assume that there has been a corresponding decrease in the amount of water pumped from mines over that period. The exhaustion of reserves at shallow depth has caused mining to go to greater and greater depths. Pumping from greater depth results in draw-down over a wider area. Where a new deep mine is developed, the closure of adjacent, shallower mines, while reducing output, often has no effect on the total water pumped from the area. 41. Generally, groundwater recharge does not begin with the closure of individual mines but with the complete abandonment of mining within a substantial area of coalfield. It is in these abandoned areas, when recharge has taken place and springs re-established, that surface water pollution is encountered. 42. In Britain, the trend over recent years has been to end production in the so-called peripheral coalfields and to concentrate it in the central coalfields of the English Midlands and Yorkshire. It is not surprising, therefore, that it is in the peripheral coalfields of Scotland, northern England and South Wales, as Mr Brassington records, that the pollution problem is currently being encountered. This is where the abandoned areas are, but even here some mining and dewatering pumping continues. Groundwater recharge is far from complete and the pollution problem not yet as great as it will become. 43. In the central coalfields, pollution problems such as those in the North, in Scotland and in Wales are generally absent and will remain so while coal production continues. Eventually, however, production will come to an end here also, the water-table will re-establish itself and the central coalfields will then experience the same problems that are current in the peripheral coalfields.

A model-based estimate of the groundwater budget and associated uncertainties in Bengaluru, India

“…Groundwater levels are now endangering this underground infrastructure (Hayashi et al 2009). Similar examples can be found in several other cities around the world including Milan, Italy (Gattinoni and Scesi 2017) and in the U.K. (Hurst and Wilkinson 1986;Brassington and Rushton 1987;Brassington 1990). Lerner (2002) and Vázquez-Suñé, Sánchez-Vila, and Carrera (2005), in reviewing the particular challenges of understanding urban groundwater budgets, included the following: (i) the90 complexity of sources and pathways of recharge; (ii) the need for large amounts of data, from various sources and (iii) prevalence of large uncertainties and data gaps.…”

Implications of groundwater quality to corrosion problem and urban planning in Mekelle area, Northern Ethiopia

“…© CNCS, Mekelle University 56 ISSN:2220-184X Recent groundwater level measurements along the Illala River in five boreholes show variation in depth from 2 m to 6.3 m b. g. l. In the case of shallow hand dug wells, the depth is about 0.3m b. g. l. during rainy season in many parts of the city. An inventory of 70 boreholes and hand-dug wells within the city and its environs resulted in an average water level of 18 m b. g. l with a range of 0 to 70 m b. g. l. Fall and rise of groundwater, particularly the rising water levels affect the structural properties of soils and can reduce bearing capacity, cause swelling, and create hydrostatic uplift pressures (Brassington, 1990).…”

Environmental impacts of groundwater exploitation using GIS

“…The rising water tables phenomena is not confined to Britain. Brassington (1990) quotes examples from many locations around the world, including Paris, New York, Cairo, Tokyo, Denmark, Quatar and West Germany. The reported problems associated with these occurences mirror those given for London and Birmingham.…”