Tianjin Hydrology and Water Resources Management Center, Tianjin 300061, China

 The Group II fresh groundwater bearing aquifers in the eastern plain of Tianjin underwent long term exploitation. This study shows that the area with greater water-level declining is associated with more rapid stratigraphic compaction and consolidation. In the study area, the salty groundwater in the un-exploited overlying aquifers have the same dynamic characteristic of synchronization but different amplitude with the Group II aquifers, showing that they have a close relationship. Cross-sectional study indicated that surface water, salty groundwater and underlying fresh groundwater belong to an integral water resources system. The compacted clay layers have the feature of semi-permeable membrane under alkaline condition. The infiltration of surface water is driven by the differences of osmotic pressure of salty water in each layer. When the water level difference between the Group II aquifers and overlying salty aquifers is greater than osmotic water pressure difference, the salt water layer will desalinate downward and eventually, decreasing the water level of the upper aquifers, turning phreatic water amount supposed to evaporate to leakage recharge. Therefore, stopping mining groundwater in the Group II aquifer will lead to other new environmental geology disaster.