Opening new mines, deeper operations and the constant spread of mining activity to new terrain is associated with more or less extensive disturbance of natural water regimes. This is manifested in the drying of farm wells and ponds, reduced flow in water courses and, sometimes even their complete disappearance with extreme drying of orogen and soils. Typical symptoms of such disturbances are hydrological and soil changes and alteration of habitats. A very large disturbance of this kind is subsidence depression zone surrounding the Bełchatów brown coal strip mine. The authors discuss its effects on soil and habitat conditions, using two forest districts as examples.