Abstract：The study on exploitation of coal resources under surface water is a comprehensive research task extending across coal mining，water conservancy，geological and environmental protection. With the promulgation and enforcement of water law of the People¢s Republic of China and more and more attention being paid to environmental protection，it is necessary to extend and enlarge research content and range，and to carry out study that integrates resources exploitation with ensuring security of hydro-structure and environmental protection in order to achieve multi-winning situation among systems. Issues about traversing coal measures are encountered inevitably in some large-scale water conservancy projects. For instance，main conveyance canal of middle line project of South-to-North Water Transfer traverses successively 14 mines which belong to Yuxian，Xinzheng，Jiaozuo，Xintai，etc. mining areas from the South to the North，and 1.850 2×108 t coal is buried under these areas. So，the study on the exploitation of coal resources under surface water has great theoretical and practical significances. It is suggested that at least the following questions should be given attention to the mining coal resources under surface water：(1) the influence of surface collapse due to mining on stabilization and safe operation of hydro-structure；(2) surface water seepage caused by mining and rapid drawdown of water level；(3) the influence of mining on change of seepage field and security of hydro-structure；and (4) environmental disruption owing to mining in research area，etc.. Combined with engineering example of excavating coal in expansion areas of Shenjiazhuang colliery under Yuecheng reservoir，detailed research for above questions has been done through theoretical calculation，numerical modeling，and the method of linking field survey with engineering analogue. Feasibility of exploitation of coal resources under Yuecheng reservoir has been verified；and scientific base for making policy is provided.
