The impact of high-intensity coal mining on water resources has drastically affected the local environment in the Yushenfu mining area, Northwest China. Many studies have ascertained that coal mining has caused reduction of the phreatic water level and vegetation death, which has deteriorated the fragile arid and semiarid ecosystems. However, at Jinjitan coal mine, it has been observed that the phreatic water level rose due to coal mining, which has been beneficial for the local ecology, especially the vegetation. In this study, the variation of the phreatic water table and its ecological effects were investigated by in-situ tests and remote sensing. The results suggest that the recovery of the permeability of the loess aquitard controls the vertical leakage of phreatic water, whereas horizontal recharge is controlled by land subsidence. An ecological impact evaluation, using the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), demonstrates that the vegetation is being gradually improved. Compared to a small improvement of ~9.7% in the unexploited area, a ~23.3% improvement occurred in the exploited area where low-density shrubs transformed to high-density shrubs and herbs. Emergence of phreatic water at the land surface in low-lying areas of the working faces may induce the formation of an oasis and wetland system in arid and semiarid areas. These findings could change the conventional negative impression around mining and improve ecological restoration practices.

高强度煤矿开采对水资源的影响已严重影响了西北神社府矿区的当地环境。许多研究已经确定，煤矿开采导致潜水水位的降低和植被的死亡，这使脆弱的干旱和半干旱生态系统恶化了。然而，在金鸡滩煤矿，已发现由于采煤而使潜水水位上升，这有利于当地生态，尤其是植被。在这项研究中，通过原位测试和遥感研究了潜水水位的变化及其生态影响。结果表明，黄土阿基塔尔渗透率的恢复控制着潜水水的垂直渗漏，而水平补给则受地面沉降的控制。使用归一化差异植被指数（NDVI）进行的生态影响评估表明，植被正在逐步改善。与未开发区的约9.7％的小幅改善相比，在低密度灌木转变为高密度的灌木和香草的被开发区，约有23.3％的改善。在工作面低洼地区的陆地表面出现潜水水可能会在干旱和半干旱地区诱发绿洲和湿地系统的形成。这些发现可能会改变采矿业的传统负面印象，并改善生态恢复做法。低密度灌木丛转化为高密度灌木丛和草药的开发区发生了3％的改善。在工作面低洼地区的陆地表面出现潜水水可能会在干旱和半干旱地区诱发绿洲和湿地系统的形成。这些发现可能会改变采矿业的传统负面印象，并改善生态恢复做法。低密度灌木丛转化为高密度灌木丛和草药的开发区发生了3％的改善。在工作面低洼地区的陆地表面出现潜水水可能会在干旱和半干旱地区诱发绿洲和湿地系统的形成。这些发现可能会改变采矿业的传统负面印象，并改善生态恢复做法。