【Purposes】 As a result of the ongoing replenishment of groundwater, a multifaceted system for the storage and circulation of groundwater has developed within overlying goaf and roadway. Coal mines encounter technical challenges in preventing and managing water damage in the roof goaf during the process of multiple coal seam composite mining, leading to a substantial requirement for daily roof water exploration and drainage engineering. 【Methods】 This paper focuses on the roof and floor rocks of coal seams as the subject of investigation. The study aims to analyze the fracture zone development between coal seams in the context of multiple seams mining, utilizing on-site electrical testing, numerical simulation, and theoretical analysis. 【Findings】 The findings of the experimental investigation indicate that the extraction of coal seams in close proximity facilitates the full interconnection of the goafs, resulting in the formation of a water accumulation zone composed of double coal seam goafs. The depth of the damage zone caused by the disturbance of the double coal seam floor is measured at 15.6 m. As the underlying working face is mined, the numbers of weak structural planes in the surrounding rock increas, leading to an expansion of the area of resistivity increase. Upon reaching a height of 58 m, the development of fracture zone gradually ceases. Optimal exploration and drainage of the roof empty water can be achieved to the fullest extent when the effective thickness of the key water barrier layer is no less than 20 m. 【Conclusions】 The concept of goaf water hazard prevention and coal mining under water-containing based on the coal seam spacing and key water-resisting layer is proposed. The conception of “finding out the structure, controlling the seam spacing, and mining after upper preventing” should be followed. The research results not only effectively prevent and control the threat of water inrush from the roof goaf, but also reduce the workload and production cost of water exploration and drainage in future. It can also provide reference for water-retaining mining technology in multiple coal seams affected by the water hazard in the roof goaf.