煤炭是我国工业化过程中最重要的能源，在我国经济发展中一直发挥着重要作用。但所有工业化国家所面临的一个主要问题是矿区环境退化，短期的经济利益都是以巨大的环境损失为代价获得的。保水采煤是针对陕北侏罗纪煤田开发过程中出现的环境问题而提出的科学采矿思路与方法，在过去20多年的时间中有了长足的发展。回顾了煤田发现历程，分析了其资源特征，重点强调了煤炭开发过程中出现的突出环境问题，如土地荒漠化和水资源供需矛盾。简述了保水采煤问题的提出和发展过程，解释了保水采煤的概念及科学内涵。以CNKI文献检索结果为准，详细梳理了围绕保水采煤问题而开展的科研项目、发表的论文、论著及学术会议，并指出了该领域主要关键科学问题。进一步介绍了矿区生态水位及阈限研究、浅埋煤层岩层控制、导水裂隙带发育高度、保水开采条件分区、保水采煤技术及地下水监测网建设等方面取得的主要成果。保水采煤是维护和提升矿山生态系统功能和环境质量的重要手段，必须长期坚持，持续实施。今后保水采煤技术工程实施，需要深入贯彻落实“山水林田湖草是一个[JP]生命共同体”重要理念，推广试点工程成功经验和实践模式，全方位推进国土空间的生态保护修复。

Coal is the most important energy source in China’s industrialization process and has been playing important roles in China’s economic development. But one of the main problems facing all industrialized countries is the subject that has been generally termed as environmental degradation and the short-term economic benefits are obtained at the expense of huge environmental losses.Water-preserved coal mining is a scientific mining idea and method for the environmental problems that occurred during the development of the Jurassic coalfield in northern Shaanxi. It has made great progress in the past 20 years. This paper reviews the discovery of Shenfu coalfield and analyzes its resource characteristics and highlights the prominent environmental problems that occurred during the exploration of coal，such as land desertification and water supply and demand conflicts. The paper puts forward the proposal and development process of water-preserved coal mining，and explains the concept and scientific connotation of water-preserved coal mining. Based on the results of CNKI literature search，the research projects, published papers, thesis and academic conferences around the problem of water-preserved coal mining were reviewed in detail, and the main key scientific issues in this field were pointed out. The main achievements of the study on the eco-logical water level and threshold research of the mining area, the control of shallow buried coal seams, the development height of the water-conducting fracture zone, the division of water-retaining conditions, the water-preserved coal mining technology and the construction of the groundwater monitoring network are introduced in detail. Water-preserved coal mining is an important mean to maintain and improve the function of the mine ecosystem and the quality of the environment. It must be sustained and implemented continuously. In the future, the implementation of water-preserved coal mining technology project needs to thoroughly implement the important concept of “the mountains，rivers，forests，lakes and grass are a life community”，and promote the successful experience and practice mode of the pilot project, in order to comprehensively promote the ecological protection and restoration of the national soil space.