GEOSPATIAL ASSESSMENT OF THE OF COAL MINING IMPACT ON THE LANDSCAPES FORMATION IN THE FLOOD - PLAINE OF THE SAMARA RIVER

Abstract

Coal mining in Western Donbass leads to the formation of subsidence on the surface of the floodplain of the Samara River (up to 3-7 m). The sagging area is filled with ground and surface water and turns into a swampy body of water. As a result, soil fertility, floodplain meadows and forests are deteriorating. Field experiments carried out on lands disturbed by mining are associated with the justification of the choice of mitigating technology with subsequent modeling and forecast of its environment impact. The use of mathematical modeling methods to assess the processes of technogenic impact on the environment should be based on the use of long-term monitoring data. The main objective of our study was a geospatial assessment of anthropogenic impact on the formation of landscapes in the Samara River floodplain with subsequent modeling and forecasting of vertical salinization of the bulk soil layer. Assessment of the projective cover of the earth's surface is possible due to the study of the spectral reflective features of the vegetation cover. Multispectral images of the Landsat satellite system for 2004 and 2020 were used for remote sensing of the floodplain part of the Samara River. Comparison of the levels of projective vegetation cover of the Samara River floodplain indicates degradation of the land cover over the past 17 years. Studies of the effectiveness of mine dumps reclamation technology were carried out in the conditions of the Pavlograd station for reclamation of disturbed lands. The results of determining the reaction of water extract (pH) and salinity of the reclaimed three-layer profile were the initial data obtained in 2003, 2008, 2016 and 2020. The GIS data of the experimental plots mapping made it possible to determine the location of soil sampling for assessing the vertical migration of salts along the reclaimed profile. The process of salinization of reclaimed lands without irrigation will gradually develop according to the obtained forecast data for salinization of artificial profile layers. At the same time, it must be recognized that the intensity of transpiration of meadow vegetation is much lower comparative to crops. The last type of nature management of reclaimed lands in the Western Donbass is associated with a lower risk of the development of processes of vertical soil salinization, given the trend of transition to the strategy of natural meadow culture.