The development of a water-conducting fracture zone is a critical factor in understanding and predicting water inrush from coal mine roofs, as these zones facilitate the inflow of water from overlying aquifers. However, traditional methods such as empirical formulas and drilling, as well as single physical investigations (such as transient electromagnetic), can only estimate the height of these fault zones and often cannot accurately obtain precursor information of roof water inrush during the mining process. In this study, a comprehensive evaluation of the 13,101 working face of the Shengfu Coal Mine in Shaanxi, China, is being carried out using microseismic monitoring and parallel electrical methods. On the basis of the microseismic results, the height of the water-conducting fracture zone is obtained to be 57 m. The average variation of the natural potential of the coal seam roof was obtained by the parallel electric method, which was all less than 250 mV, with no obvious anomalous seepage electric field and no large centralized water-conducting channels found. However, the decrease in resistivity and natural potential indicates the precursor information of water seepage when the fracture zone develops to 40–50 m. This approach aims to monitor the development of water-conducting fracture zones by combining microseismic monitoring with parallel electrical methods while simultaneously capturing changes in roof seepage. This will enhance safety and facilitate more informed decision-making in complex hydrogeological environments.

During mining, the brittle fracture structure of coal makes it highly susceptible to disturbance, leading to changes in the permeability of the coal seam from non-conductive to water-conductive, which poses a significant threat to the stability and safety of coal pillars in goafs. Therefore, understanding the damage mechanisms of coal during water–rock interactions is crucial for ensuring mine safety. In this paper, based on laboratory seepage tests, the impact of hydrodynamic forces on the microstructure of fissured coal and its subsequent effect on permeability is examined. The study found that increasing confining pressure causes the “closure” of coal fissures, leading to a reduction in permeability. Additionally, during the initial stage of seepage, fine particles within the coal samples are mobilized due to seepage damage, leading to channel blockages and further reductions in permeability. However, as seepage continues, the hydraulic channels eventually open fully, resulting in a sharp increase in permeability. Furthermore, using a two-dimensional fracture seepage model, the study investigated how the scale of fractures in the water-conducting channels influences seepage behavior. A critical fracture width method was proposed to predict permeability surges, offering a new approach for analyzing the stability of coal pillars in mining areas.