Main Venue of the Conference

Professor Xu Zhimin delivers a presentation as the host institution representative 

for the 2027 International Forum on Groundwater

Professor Xu Zhimin receives the conference flag representing the hosting rights 

of the International Forum on Groundwater

From August 24 to 26, the 2026 International Forum on Groundwater, hosted by China University of Geosciences (Wuhan), was grandly held in Wuhan. The event brought together more than 600 experts and scholars from over 30 universities, research institutes, and related organizations across the country, including Liu Yu, Director of the Division of Earth Sciences Ⅲ of the National Natural Science Foundation of China; Li Qinghua, Director of the Institute of Hydrogeology and Environmental Geology of the Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences; Academician Wang Yanxin of China University of Geosciences (Wuhan); and Academician Liu Quansheng of Wuhan University. Together, they engaged in in-depth discussions on frontier issues in groundwater science. Led by Professor Sui Wanghua, a National Teaching Master and faculty member of the School of Resources and Geosciences, a total of eight CUMT faculty members and students attended the conference, where CUMT officially took over as the host of the 2027 International Forum on Groundwater.

During the conference, CUMT participants presented and reported their latest innovative research findings. Professor Xu Zhimin, Head of the Department of Hydrology and Water Resources in the School of Resources and Geosciences, served as an invited guest and chaired the Ninth Parallel Session on “Hydrogeology in Special Regions (Coastal Zones, Mining Areas, Wetlands, etc.).” He delivered an invited report titled “Discussion on Water Quality Characteristics and Insitu Geological Treatment Technology of Coal Mine Water in China,” systematically introducing CUMT’s research progress in insitu geological treatment and reinjection storage technology for mine water. He elaborated on insitu geological treatment technologies and engineering practices, including purification in mined-out areas, deep sandstone reinjection, deep limestone reinjection, and shallow Quaternary reinjection. Associate Professor Jiang Chunlu, Associate Professor Chen Ge, Postdoctoral Researcher Yuan Huiqing, Postdoctoral Researcher Chen Tianci, doctoral student Yang Jin, and master’s student Huang Haiyun also delivered academic reports on topics including “Formation Mechanism of High Sulfate in Groundwater of Yongcheng Mining Area Based on Multi-isotopes and Hydrochemistry,” “Evolution of Permeability of Sandstone Media under Mine Water Reinjection,” “Fine Characterization of Water Storage Space and Nonlinear Water Storage Mechanism in Abandoned Coal Mine Goafs,” “Same-layer Reinjection Water-preserving Model and Its Hydrogeological Effects in Semi-arid Open-pit Mining Areas of Eastern Inner Mongolia,” “Discussion on Roof Water Inrush Mechanism and Prediction Method under Layered Mining Disturbance of Extra-thick Coal Seams,” and “THM Coupling and Capacity Expansion and Storage Enhancement of Deep Mine Water Storage.”

At the closing ceremony, a flag handover ceremony was held for the next host institution. On behalf of CUMT, Professor Xu Zhimin delivered a presentation on the preparations for the 2027 International Forum on Groundwater and received the conference flag. He sincerely invited experts, scholars, and entrepreneurs in the global groundwater field to gather in Xuzhou—a historic and cultural city with a thousand-year heritage—and at CUMT, a century-old university, in July 2027 for this grand event.

The International Forum on Groundwater was jointly initiated in 2005 by the Department of Earth Sciences of the National Natural Science Foundation of China and the Department of Hydrogeology and Environmental Geology of the China Geological Survey. It is held annually as a high-level groundwater forum and was later renamed the International Forum on Groundwater in collaboration with the Hydrogeology Professional Committee of the Geological Society of China. It is the highest-level academic conference in the field of groundwater research in China, representing the highest standard of domestic research in this field. Since 2005, it has been held annually, serving as an academic feast and exchange platform for researchers and technical professionals in groundwater science and engineering both at home and abroad. It has exerted widespread influence in the fields of hydrogeology, engineering geology, and environmental geology, becoming an important platform for showcasing new theories, methods, technologies, and equipment in the field of groundwater resources and environment in the new era. It has played an important role in promoting the development of groundwater science and engineering in China and has made outstanding contributions to protecting the ecological environment and promoting green development.