Digital Commons Network^™

Water Rights Update, Teresa Wilhelmsen

Spring Runoff Conference

State Engineer's Update:

2024-2025 Strategic Action Plan

2024 Updates by functional section:

• Adjudication
• Applications & Records
• Dam Safety & Stream Alterations
• Data Services
• Field Services
• Technical Services

Northern Utah Gaging And Measurement Infrastructure Needs And Updates, Beth Neilson

Spring Runoff Conference

We can’t manage what we don’t MEASURE. We can’t manage what we don’t UNDERSTAND.

Great Salt Lake: What’S Next?, Brian Steed

Spring Runoff Conference

Water security is key to living in the West.

Snowpack And Water Supply Outlook, Jordan Clayton

Spring Runoff Conference

>95% of the water we use in Northern Utah comes from snow. Therefore, it’s critically important to quantify how much water is stored in our snowpack.

Western Australia’S Marine Heatwave Update - 27 March 2025, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia, Arani Chandrapavan

Marine Heatwave Notification Reports

No abstract provided.

Seepage Evolution Patterns And Self-Sealing Characterization Of Mining-Induced Overburden Fractures In Ecologically Vulnerable Mining Areas, Li Jianwei, Sun Yanchao, Zhang Chuanjiu, Ta Xupeng, Cao Jian, Zhang Jian

Coal Geology & Exploration

Objective The ecologically vulnerable areas (EVAs) in West China have been significantly affected by coal mining. In these areas, aquifers overlying goaves have been damaged under mining disturbance, being prone to cause water resource loss and desertification. Hence, it is crucial to guide the self-sealing of fractures artificially to preserve and further restore the groundwater level.Methods This study investigated mining face 22108 in the Buertai coal mine in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. Based on the physical simulation experiments using similar materials, numerical calculations, and theoretical analysis, this study delved into the seepage evolution patterns of fractures in the …

Application Of A Generative Adversarial Network Algorithm To Filling Blank Strips Of Fractures In Formation Microresistivity Imaging Images, Kang Zhengming, Wu Chensheng, Yang Guodong, Wu Disheng, Wang Ruifei, Yang Xiangyu, Gan Wei

Coal Geology & Exploration

Objective Gaps between the electrodes of formation microresistivity imaging (FMI) imagers lead to blank strips in the resistivity images of borehole walls, significantly influencing the parameter assessment for fractures near borehole walls. The absence of full-borehole images renders it challenging to assess the blank strip filling quality for fractures in FMI images. Using a dataset constructed utilizing both simulated and actual data, this study proposed a generative adversarial network (GAN)-based method for filling the blank strips of fractures in FMI images. Methods First, the resistivity logging responses of a fractured formation were simulated using the 3D finite element method. Actual …

An Edge Awareness-Enhanced Visual Slam Method For Underground Coal Mines, Mu Qi, Liang Xin, Guo Yuanjie, Wang Yuhao, Li Zhanli

Coal Geology & Exploration

Objective Underground coal mines commonly exhibit low illuminance, weak textures, and structuralization-induced feature degradation. These scenes lead to challenges of insufficient effective features and high mismatch rates to the visual simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) system, severely compromising its localization accuracy and robustness. Methods This study proposed an edge awareness-enhanced visual SLAM method. First, an edge-awareness constrained low-illuminance image enhancement module was developed. Specifically, images with clear textures and uniform illumination were obtained using the Retinex algorithm optimized using an adaptive gradient-domain guided filter. This significantly improved feature extraction performance under low and uneven lighting conditions. Second, an edge awareness-enhanced …

Table Of Contents, The Editors

Coal Geology & Exploration

No abstract provided.

Geological Technological Innovations And Contributions In The Exploration And Development Of The Shenfu Coalfield, Fan Limin

Coal Geology & Exploration

Background The discovery and exploration of the Shenfu coalfield (i.e., a Jurassic coalfield in northern Shaanxi Province) represent the most significant achievement in China’s coal industry during the 6th Five-Year Plan of the country, marking the onset of the strategic westward shift of China’s coal industry. The complex discovery and exploration processes of the Shenfu coalfield have yielded valuable technological innovations. A summary of advances in the geological exploration and research of this coalfield will provide significant implications and references for the geologic work and green development of major coal-producing areas in West China. Advances First, research on the coal …

Mining-Induced Fault Slip: Assessment Model And Method For Determining Fault Instability Ranges, Zhao Hongbao, Zhang Bo, Zhang Chi, Ji Dongliang

Coal Geology & Exploration

Objective Faults are highly susceptible to activation and slip instability under the influence of mining. This might trigger many disasters such as mine earthquakes, posing serious threats to mine safety. Therefore, it is necessary to analyze the mechanical mechanisms behind mining-induced fault activation and determine the ranges of mutual feedback between mining and fault activation in advance. Methods With the 213B mining face of the Xinzhi coal mine as the engineering background, this study analyzed the fault activation process induced by mining and created an elastic mechanical model for the impacts of mining on the surrounding rocks of faults. Accordingly, …

Geological Characteristics And Key Technologies For Exploration And Development Of The Yanchuannan Coalbed Methane Field, Ordos Basin, He Xipeng, Xiao Cui, Gao Yuqiao, Li Xin, Guo Tao, Cai Xiao

Coal Geology & Exploration

Objective China boasts abundant coalbed methane (CBM) resources, which serve as a crucial replacement for the reserve growth and production addition of natural gas resources. In recent years, CBM exploration and production have gradually expanded into deep, thin coal seams, which, however, are characterized by strong heterogeneity, ultra-low permeability, high in situ stress, and complex enrichment patterns. Therefore, the exploration and exploitation of deep, thin coal seams face challenges such as inadequate geological theories, poor adaptability of key technologies, and low investment returns, which hinder large-scale commercial CBM production. Methods Focusing on the exploration and exploitation practice of middle-deep, thin …

Exploring Sandstone-Hosted Uranium Deposits In Coal-Bearing Basins Using Geophysical Methods: A Case Study Of The East-Central Erlian Basin, Liang Jiangang, Kuang Haiyang, Cao Zhanning, Yang Weimin

Coal Geology & Exploration

Background Sandstone-hosted uranium deposits, critical to the uranium resources growth in China, are extensively distributed in continental and marine-continental transitional sedimentary rocks. Currently, the exploration and research on these deposits in China focus primarily on the Meso-Cenozoic sedimentary basins in the northern regions. Objective and Methods‌ The Erlian Basin exhibits the coexistence of uranium, coals, and oil. This study investigated the east-central part of this basin using multiple geophysical data, including regional gravity survey, aeromagnetic survey, and airborne radioactivity survey (ARS). Furthermore, six 2D seismic profiles totaling 130 km in length were deployed, and instantaneous soil radon measurement as employed. …

Impacts Of Diamond Particle Sizes On Performance Of Ni-Cu Superhydrophobic Coatings On Drilling Tool Surfaces, Wen Qi, Li Tao, Duan Longchen, Pan Bingsuo

Coal Geology & Exploration

Objective Applying superhydrophobic coatings on drilling tool surfaces can effectively alleviate the challenges posed by drill bit balling and core barrel blockage. However, the limited mechanical stability of superhydrophobic coatings has somewhat hindered their widespread application in practical operations. Methods To improve the durability of superhydrophobic coatings, this study co-deposited diamond micropowder into Ni-Cu composite coating using composite electrodeposition, followed by surface modification using 1H,1H,2H,2H-perfluorodecyltrimethoxysilane (PFDTES). Employing a variety of testing methods, this study investigated the impacts of the mass fractions of diamonds with particle sizes of 1 μm and 20 μm (also referred to as diamonds W1 and W20, …

Primary Geological Characteristics, Advances In Exploration And Production, And Strategies Of Coalbed Methane In South China, Guo Tao, Zhou Yatong, Jin Xiaobo, Gao Xiaokang, Peng Xingping

Coal Geology & Exploration

Objective and Methods South China contains abundant coalbed methane (CBM) resources from numerous, superimposed, thin coal seams, serving as a significant replacement for China’s CBM exploration and production in the future. Despite significant progress in recent years, the CBM industry still faces several challenges in comprehensive and effective production. To accelerate its development, this study summarizes the primary geological characteristics of CBM resources in South China, organizes the current status and advances in CBM exploration and production in this region, and proposes corresponding technical strategies. Results The results indicate that the abundant CBM resources in South China exhibit coal seams …

Stratigraphic Characteristics And Shale Gas Enrichment Interval Distribution Of The Lower Cambrian Qiongzhusi Formation, Upper Yangtze Region, China, Wang Hongyan, Shi Zhensheng, Zhao Qun, Zhou Tianqi, Wang Pengfei

Coal Geology & Exploration

Objective Shales in the Lower Cambrian Qiongzhusi Formation within the Upper Yangtze region preserve critical information about primitive oceans. Furthermore, these shales serve as vital source rocks and reservoirs, having demonstrated considerable potential for shale gas exploration. Methods Using seismic, borehole, and outcrop data, this study investigated the shale strata and their distribution in the Qiongzhusi Formation through comparative analysis. Accordingly, the sweet-spot interval was determined. Results and conclusions The results indicate that the Lower Cambrian Qiongzhusi Formation in the Upper Yangtze region can be divided into the first and second members (also referred to as the Qiong 1 and …

Advances In Research On Technologies For Large-Scale Coal Gangue Utilization For Green Mine Construction, Shi Quanlin, Long Lihua, Yang Qian, Wang Shaohui, Xie Dawei

Coal Geology & Exploration

Background The coal gangue, a solid waste, features high production and a continuous increase in the amount piled in China. The long-term piling up of coal gangue will cause the waste of land resources and environmental pollution in mining areas. Various methods for utilizing coal gangue, such as preparing high-value-added chemical products and extracting useful elements, suffer a limited consumption capacity, failing to meet the requirements of large-scale disposal and utilization of solid wastes and green mine construction. Advances The comprehensive utilization of coal gangue for mining area reclamation and underground backfilling represents a critical direction for its large-scale disposal …

Advances In Research On The Mechanical Responses Of Hot Dry Granites Under Varying Cooling Conditions In China, Xie Jingyu, Song Jiwei, Sui Jiancai, Zhao Meng, Wang Ren, Zeng Chong, Wang Jianlong

Coal Geology & Exploration

Significance Enhanced geothermal systems (EGSs) serve as a key technique for exploiting hot dry rocks (HDRs) presently. During the construction and operation of EGSs, rocks of the HDR reservoirs will experience various cooling conditions, such as natural cooling, cyclic cooling, and water cooling, rendering it greatly significant to investigate the mechanical response characteristics of granites—typical HDRs—under varying cooling conditions. Advances This study offers a summary and analysis of experimental data about the mechanical responses, i.e., uniaxial compressive strength (σ_c), elastic modulus (E), tensile strength (σ_t), and Poisson's ratio (ν), of …

Engineering Practice Of Advance Gas Control For Crushed Soft Coal Seams Through Directional Fracturing Using A Long Borehole In The Coal Seam Roof, Jia Bingyi, Li Shugang, Chen Dongdong, Zhang Qun

Coal Geology & Exploration

Objective and Methods The crushed soft coal seams susceptible to intense coal and gas outbursts exhibit high gas content and pressure. Consequently, during borehole drilling for regional gas pre-drainage in such coal seams, high blowout intensity is prone to cause gas overrun and low drilling efficiency. To accelerate its development, this study analyzed the status and adaptability of existing technologies for regional advance gas drainage and pressure relief, as well as the fracture propagation characteristics of coal seam roofs during indirect fracturing using boreholes near the roofs. Accordingly, this study proposed an advance gas drainage and pressure relief technology for …

Dynamic Evolutionary Pattern Of Fractures In Tectonically Deformed Coal-Bearing Assemblages During Loading, Zhao Pengxiang, Liu Yingying, Li Shugang, Liu Yanqun, Liu Yunchuan, Wang Laolao, Lu Weidong

Coal Geology & Exploration

Objective The formation and evolution of fractures in tectonically deformed coals (TDCs) exert a significant influence on the occurrence of dynamic hazards to TDC-bearding combinations under mining disturbance. However, the influence patterns remain unclear. Methods Using a NanoVoxel-3000 high-resolution inspection system for multiscale integrated geotechnical scanning and analysis, this study performed uniaxial compression and CT scanning experiments on TDC-bearing combination specimens. Moreover, this study reconstructed the mesoscopic geometric structures of the specimens using the Avizo software, obtaining three-dimensional visualization models of fractures inside the specimens. Results and Conclusions During loading of a specimen studied, fractures were generated in the TDC …

A New Quantitative Assessment Model For The Joint Roughness Of Rock Masses, Chen Shijiang, Liu Hongwei, Li Tao, Yue Hu, Liu Jiangang, Yu Jiang

Coal Geology & Exploration

Objective The joint roughness of rock masses significantly affects their mechanical properties such as shear strength and permeability. Therefore, its quantitative characterization is significant for the engineering practices of jointed rock masses. Current research achievements indicate that among statistical parameters, the root mean square (RMS) of first derivatives (Z₂) exhibits the strongest correlation with the joint roughness of rock masses, serving as a vital method for characterizing joint roughness. However, the characterization using this parameter is severely affected by the sampling interval (SI). Methods Based on a systematic analysis of the drawbacks of Z₂ in characterizing …

Zonal Prediction Of The Heights Of Water-Conducting Fracture Zones Under Varying Overburden Types In North China-Type Coalfields, Xu Dongjing, Zhang Ruiqing, Gao Weifu, Jiang Haonan, Zhu Haifeng, Li Ye, Xia Zhicun

Coal Geology & Exploration

Background The gradual increase in the exploitation depth and intensity of coal resources in the North China-type coalfields has caused problems such as overburden movement and damage, as well as fracture evolution. These hot topics have attracted considerable attention. Methods A total of 117 sets of measured data on the heights of water-conducting fracture zones in the North China-type coalfields were collected, consisting of 17 sets from hard overburden, 42 sets from moderately hard overburden, and 58 sets from soft overburden. Using these data, this study explored the effects of varying mining heights, mining depths, and lengths of the mining …

A Method For Time Difference Correction For Real-Time Seismic-While-Mining Data, Jin Dan

Coal Geology & Exploration

Objective Seismic-while-mining (SWM) data are usually acquired using multiple stations, each of which is equipped with multiple data acquisition traces. However, the SWM data received by these stations exhibit time differences due to the lack of GPS signals underground and the fact that current network synchronization technologies are confined by network delays underground. Given that the time synchronization accuracy directly affects the quality of data processing and imaging, the time difference correction of real-time SWM data is essential for accurate SWM detection. Methods Since current high-precision timing systems on the surface suffer from signal loss underground, this study proposed an …

Tundra Recovery Post-Fire In The Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta, Alaska, Leah K. Clayton, Kevin Schaefer, Elizabeth E. Hoy, Clayton D. Elder, Nancy H. F. French, Gerald V. Frost, Et.Al.

Michigan Tech Publications

The extent of wildfires in tundra ecosystems has dramatically increased since the turn of the 21st century due to climate change and the resulting amplified Arctic warming. We simultaneously studied the recovery of vegetation, subsurface soil moisture, and active layer thickness (ALT) post-fire in the permafrost-underlain uplands of the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta in southwestern Alaska to understand the interaction between these factors and their potential implications. We used a space-for-time substitution methodology with 2017 Landsat 8 imagery and synthetic aperture radar products, along with 2016 field data, to analyze tundra recovery trajectories in areas burned from 1953 to 2017. We found …

Influencing Mechanisms Of Microwave Radiation Duration On The Efficiency Of Methane Adsorption In Coals, Hu Yiliang, Bao Yuan, Meng Jiahao, Chen Xueru, Shan Tuo

Coal Geology & Exploration

Objective Microwave radiation duration represents a critical factor in enhancing coalbed methane (CBM) recovery using microwave-aided methods. However, the influencing mechanism of microwave radiation duration on the efficiency of methane adsorption in coal seams remains unclear. This necessitates delving into the specific effects of microwave radiation duration on the adsorption efficiency and unveiling their intrinsic constraints. Methods This study investigated the No.2 coal seam in the Huangling mining area. The coal samples were irradiated for 0‒18 min using 700 W microwaves. Using experiments and analyses including isothermal adsorption, low-temperature liquid N2 adsorption, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), this study …

Assessment Indicator System For Siting Of Geologic Co2 Sequestration In Low-Porosity And Low-Permeability Saline Aquifers: A Case Study Of The Ordos Basin, Mou Yu, Wang Haofan, Shaanxi Key Laboratory For Carbon Neutral Technology, Carbon Neutrality College (Yulin), Northwest University, Xi’An 710069, China Xuejun, Ma Jinfeng, Luo Shaocheng, Li Lin, Ding Zhao

Coal Geology & Exploration

Objective CO₂ injection and geologic sequestration in deep saline aquifers as underground spatial resources represents an important means of achieving the targets of greenhouse gas emission reduction and carbon neutrality. Current assessments of the siting and potential for geologic CO₂ sequestration in saline aquifers focus primarily on the macroscopic basin and regional scales, with the assessment indicator system scarcely accounting for the suitability of low-porosity and low-permeability strata. Methods Using data from 192 wells in the Yusheng area, Ordos Basin, this study conducted the division and correlation of intervals bearing no hydrocarbon, carried out lithologic and physical interpretations …

Optimization And Application Of Sand Bailing Technology For Coalbed Methane Horizontal Wells, Zhang Fei, Wang Yibing, Cheng Lu, Mei Wenbo, Yang Qi, Shen Wenjie, Cao Chao, Lai Peng, Liao Zhengkai, Xian Bao'an, Bi Yansen

Coal Geology & Exploration

Objective and Methods Coalbed methane (CBM) horizontal wells face challenges such as sand accumulation in completion strings, pipe wall scaling, and pump sticking, leading to declined CBM production or shutdown of these wells. This severely restricts continuous, stable CBM production. Removing pulverized coals and sands from wellbores through mechanical sand bailing is recognized as an effective technique to restore and improve the CBM production of horizontal wells. To address challenges such as poor string sealing performance, low efficiency, and sand consolidation in mechanical sand bailing, this study created optimized tools including claw-shaped scraper tips, sand-breaking drill bits, eccentric flaps, and …

Springscape: The Nature Coast And The Making Of Modern Florida, 1820s-Present, Douglas E. Ponticos

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

According to an oft-repeated tale, the Florida we know today emerged as a dreamscape of tourism, retirement, and suburbanization during the second half of the twentieth century. Growth victimized nature. This dissertation deeply unsettles that story. The history of the Nature Coast exposes not just nature’s agency but its primacy in the development of modern Florida.

Using surveys, maps, census data, personal correspondence, government documents, business records, timber reports, advertising materials, and hydrological research, this dissertation follows time and water across landscapes, into the Upper Floridan Aquifer, and back out again. Each chapter explores a single landscape within the Nature …

Abiotic Variables Drive Different Aspects Of Fish Community Trait Variation And Species Richness Across The Continental United States, Alicia Mcgrew, Crysta Gantz, Brigid Wills, Benjamin Baiser, Sydne Record, Phoebe L. Zarnetske, Angela L. Strecker

Environmental Science and Management Faculty Publications and Presentations

Intraspecific trait variation (ITV) is an increasingly important aspect of biodiversity and can provide a more complete perspective on how abiotic and biotic processes affect individuals, species' niches and ultimately community-level structure than traditional uses of trait means. Body size serves as a proxy for a suite of traits that govern species' niches. Distributions of co-occurring species body sizes can inform niche overlap, relate to species richness and uncover mechanistic drivers of diversity. We leveraged individual-level body size (length) in freshwater fishes and environmental data from the National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON) for 17 lakes and streams in the contiguous …

Designing A Cave Air Monitoring System: Guide And Feedback From 15 Years Of Monitoring The Cussac Cave (France), Nicolas Peyraube, Jessica D. Villanueva, Fabien Naessens, Roland Lastennet, Sylvain Mateo, Alain Denis

International Journal of Speleology

Understanding the cave’s ventilation system is important for determining how the cavity interacts with external airflow. This requires a well-designed monitoring system. This article addresses these key aspects: how to build a monitoring system for cave air parameters and how to assess the ventilation of a cave. We proposed a flowchart to help address the issues in: 1) the modularity of a monitoring system, 2) the use of “homemade device” or “ready to use device”, 3) the frequency of measure and its effect on the electrical consumption, 4) the duration of the survey, and 5) the accessibility of the recorded …