Abstract: Working face roof water breakout and water shortage are two major problems faced by mines in Shanxi, China. Using a combination of on-site measurement, similar simulation and theoretical analysis, a physical model of upward and downward mining in the test mine was constructed, and the dynamic evolution law of roof water breakout and the mechanism of water breakout under different mining sequences were analyzed. The results show that, after downward mining in Jinhua Palace Mine, the maximum development height of water-conducting fissure in 11# coal seam is 43.1 m, and the ratio of fissure mining is 14.4. A water-surge channel is formed in the connection between the mining fissure and the roof water-bearing layer, and the safe mining of 11# coal seam is threatened by water-surge of the mining airspace. Therefore, the feasibility of upward mining was determined by ratio test and "three bands" discrimination method, and the evolution of water-surge channel was compared between upward mining and downward mining, and it was proposed to use upward mining to control the water-surge on the roof plate, which provides a basis for the prevention and control of the water-surge disaster on the roof plate of Jinhuagong Coal Mine.