Hydrogeological investigation and analysis of a major inundation at Kemira Colliery

Kemira Colliery had been experiencing increasing problematic water inflows at the inbye end of the last (W24) and then in subsequent longwall panels. The inflows had never reached a flow rate sufficient to cause delays in production or any other major problems. Pump lines were maintained in the gate roads to remove goaf water as it built up and it was not envisaged that the water was a potential danger. After Longwall 3 had retreated approximately forty metres, an inundation occurred from the goaf on October 9, 1989, which flooded the panel, halting production of the longwall for nearly four months and changing opinion about the inundation potential of the overlying water. This thesis deals with investigations leading up to the inundation, analysis of the inundation itself, and subsequent analyses of inflow and piezometric data with a view to accurate prediction of future inflow potential.