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Devin L. Galloway

Publications and source records attributed to Devin L. Galloway.

41 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

Land subsidence in the United States

This report explores the role of science in defining and understanding subsidence problems, and shows that the optimal use of our land and water resources may depend on improved scientific understanding to minimize subsidence. More than 80 percent of the identified land subsidence in the Nation is a consequence of human impact on subsurface water, and is an often overlooked environmental consequence of our land- and water-use practices. Nine illustrative case studies demonstrate the role of subsurface water in human-induced land subsidence. These studies represent three distinct processes that account for most of the water-related subsidence--compaction of aquifer systems, drainage and subsequent oxidation of organic soils, and dissolution and collapse of susceptible rocks. The compaction of alluvial aquifer systems that can accompany excessive ground-water pumping and resulting ground-water level declines is, by far, the single largest cause of subsidence.

Continental United States

PREDICTING GROUND-WATER DRAINAGE TO SURFACE MINES.

A two-dimensional, finite-difference numerical model is used to simulate the drainage of ground water into a surface coal mine. Graphs of dimensionless head as a function of dimensionless distance, and dimensionless seepage flux as a function of dimensionless time are developed from results of the numerical modeling. Changes in seepage flux and ground-water levels can be estimated from the dimensionless hydrographs, from knowledge of aquifer characteristics prior to mining, and by means of several 'simple-to-use' equations. The technique is an improvement on previous experimental, analytical, and other numerical solutions because drainage from the unsaturated zone also is considered. The procedure is applicable to a wide range of hydrogeologic settings, but is especially applicable to hydrogeologic conditions typically encountered in the coal strip-mining regions of Illinois.

Conference Paper