Widespread underground coal mining operations throughout China lead to the creation of extensive areas of land subsidence annually. Ground deformation and the formation of ground fissures, resulting from coal mining subsidence in arid and semi-arid regions, have the potential to significantly affect the soil water cycle. In this study, we employed natural \(^2H\) and deuterium labeling methodologies to conduct a comparative analysis of soil moisture content (SMC), evaporation depth, and the upward transport of deep soil water in designated subsidence and control areas, both prior to and following the dry season. The results of our analysis indicated that the soil water content in the subsidence area was significantly higher than that observed in the control area, whereas the evaporation depth of soil water in the subsidence area was significantly less than that observed in the control area. Upon the conclusion of the dry season, the isotopically labeled soil water in both the subsidence and control areas was observed to have been transported upward to a maximum depth of 200 cm. The measured upward recharge of deep soil water was determined to be 3 mm in the subsidence area and 7 mm in the control area, indicating a significantly reduced upward transport of deep soil water in the subsidence area. This study demonstrates that while the soil in the subsidence area experiences greater precipitation recharge compared to the control area, the coal mining subsidence simultaneously acts to inhibit the processes of evaporation and upward transport of soil water, effectively retaining a greater volume of water in the soil profile.
