Water Resources

The term 'water resource' refers to any of the entire range of natural waters that occur on
the earth and are of potential use to living beings.
 India is a land of many rivers, lakes, lagoons and ponds. These resources account for 4%
of the world’s water resources.
 In India, water is mainly used for drinking, irrigation, household and industrial purposes.

Surface water Ground water

The water found on the surface of the earth. The water which seeps through the cracks and
Surface water forms streams, lakes, rivers and crevices under the surface of the land is known as
ponds flowing on land. ground water.
It can be used directly without pumping. Found in aquifers, wells and tubewells
It needs to be pumped out of the ground before it
can be used.

An aquifer is a body of porous rock or sediment saturated with groundwater.

 Currently, about 90% of water is used for agricultural purposes, 2% in industries and the
remaining 8% is used for drinking and household purposes.

IRRIGATION
The process of watering agricultural plants through artificial means such as tanks, wells
and canals is known as irrigation.
 Agriculture in India is largely dependent on rainfall to sustain crop production.
 To reduce the dependence of agriculture on rainfall, many tanks, wells and canals have
been laid. Several multipurpose dams have also been constructed.
Emphasis has been laid on building artificial means of irrigation because of the following
reasons:
 Uncertainty and Uneven Distribution of Rainfall: In India, rainfall is highly irregular
and uncertain.
 At times, the monsoon arrives early, and sometimes, it comes too late. It also does not rain
uniformly in all parts of the country. In such a situation, farmers cannot totally depend on
the rainfall, and they therefore need other water sources to irrigate their fields.
 Nature of Soil: Some soils require more water, while some require less. For example,
clayey soil has high moisture-holding capacity and hence does not need intensive irrigation,
while sandy loamy soil needs extensive watering.
 To Maximise Production: As the population of the country has increased manifold, the
production of crops also needs to be enhanced to meet the demands of the people. Hence,
advanced and reliable methods of irrigation are required.
Means of Irrigation
Conventional—Wells, Tube wells, Canals, Tanks
Non-conventional—Furrows, Sprinkler, Drip, Rainwater harvesting

WELLS: A well is a small hole dug in the surface of the Earth to obtain water from subsoil for
irrigational and other purposes.
Places: Northern Plains, UP, Bihar
Why in Northern Plains?
 • Underground water table is high as region is drained by perennial rivers
• Region has alluvial soil which is soft and easy to dig
• Farmers have small landholdings which facilitate the building of wells as it occupies
less space
Advantages:
• Cheap • Easy • Subjected to less evaporation • Occupies less space • Convenient to dig by
individual farmers • Underground water is rich in minerals which add to the fertility of the
soil

Disadvantages: • Wells may run dry due to excessive use • Water table decreases in summer •
Evaporation is higher for unlined wells • Water may turn brackish or salty—unfit for
cultivation

The methods applied for lifting water from wells

Several methods are used for lifting the water. The prevailing methods are the Persian Wheel, Mhote
and the Picotin.
The Persian Wheel: It is also known as ‘Rehat’ and is worked by bullocks, buffaloes or camels.
Mhote: It is also worked by bullocks, moving up a sloping ramp to pull up a big leather bucket.
Picotin: In this device a vertical pole is employed for balancing the bucket and the equivalent load
fixed on either ends. It is also known as ‘Dhenkuli’.
TUBE WELLS: In this method, power-driven pumps are used to lift water from tube wells
from depths below15 m.
Advantages: • Can irrigate larger area of land—400 hectares at a time • Least evaporation • No
problem of brackish water (Why tubewells are preffered over ordinary wells)
Disadvantages: Costly , Requires electricity, It will be the wastage of resources if water is
brackish
Places: UP, Bihar, Gujarat

CANALS:
2 types—Inundation & Perennial
INUNDATION PERENNIAL
Bed is higher than Bed is lower than river bed
Drawn directly from river Drawn by making dams, barrages, weirs
Have water only during floods Have water throughout the year
Mostly done by individual farmers— cheaper
Mostly undertaken by govt— costly

Advantages: • Gives water to fields during summer • Save crop from drought • Sediments add
to fertility • Cheap source of irrigation • Initial expenditure is high—cheap in the long run
Disadvantages: Disadvantages of Canal Irrigation
 In canal irrigation, where the water table is only few feet below the ground, the alkaline
salts may come to the surface, mix with the soil and make it unproductive.
 Because of waterlogging of canals, the capacity of the soil to absorb water decreases which
can damage the crops in the absence of a proper drainage system.
 • Marshy areas nearby are breeding grounds for mosquitoes • May overflow & cause floods
during rainy season • Can be practised in plain areas only
Places: UP, Punjab, Haryana, Bihar

TANKS: partly dugouts/enclosing bunds

Why in Peninsular India?
• Hard rocks make it difficult to dig canals and wells • Limited percolation due to hard
rock structure • Rivers are seasonal—cannot supply water to canals

Advantages: • Natural—don’t involve high cost • Fishing in tanks—provides food resources

and adds to farmer’s income
Disadvantages: • Dry up in summer • Tanks may get silted—regular desilting required • Large
surface area—evaporation • Occupies large space—otherwise would have been used for
cultivation
Places: Peninsular India (Orissa, MH, KN, Kerala, W Bengal)

Major Drawbacks of Conventional Methods of Irrigation

 In the agricultural fields, about 10–15% of land is used for preparing water
channels, decreasing the effective area of cultivation.
 In tanks and canals, owing to the evaporation of water, the soil may silt.
 The fields in the low-lying areas always get excess water resulting in waterlogging
and subsequently the accumulation of salt which damages the quality of soil.
 In the conventional system of irrigation, a large quantity of water is not properly used and
gets wasted.

Modern Methods of Irrigation

FURROW: narrow channels of equal dimensions are made through every row of crops
Advantages: • Ensures even distribution of water • Reduces flooding in fields • More scientific
Disadvantages: • Takes time to construct • Costlier • Subjected to evaporation
SPRINKLER: comprises a long hose whose one end is joined to a water resource while the
other end is joined to the sprinklers
Advantages: • Less wastage • Ensures adequate amount of water
Disadvantages: • Costlier • Can irrigate lesser area • Subjected to evaporation
DRIP: consists of a perforated pipe which is attached to the roots of the crops
Advantages: • Most efficient • Least evaporation • Least wastage • Gives optimum amount of
water
Disadvantages: • Very costly • Can only be used for commercial farming • Too much of
humidity to crop may lead to plant diseases

RAINWATER HARVESTING: Rainwater harvesting is the method of collecting rainwater

for use before it reaches the ground. It is the technique of increasing the recharge of
groundwater by storing rainwater locally.
• To meet increasing demand for water • To raise underground water tables • To
reduce groundwater pollution • To reduce soil erosion • To supplement domestic water
needs Places: Tamil Nadu, Meghalaya
Mechanism / Elements of Rainwater Harvesting:
 Catchment: Catchment is an area or a surface which receives direct rainwater.
 Conduits: The pipelines or drains through which rainwater is carried from the catchment to the
water harvesting system are known as conduits. Rainwater on the rooftop is first collected
using a PVC pipe.
  Storage Facility: Rainwater can be stored in storage containers of RCC and masonry or
in plastic water tanks. Water is then filtered by using sand and bricks.
 Recharge Facility: Rainwater harvesting also recharges the groundwater aquifers.
Recharging Groundwater Aquifers
Some commonly used water recharging methods are digging of
1.Bore wells, 2. Recharge pits 3. Percolation pits 4. Recharge trenches

IMPORTANT QUESTIONS
Q1. Name two methods of water harvesting in India.
Answer: (i) Two methods of water harvesting in India are:
(a) Collecting of rain water on the roof top and directing to any tanks.
(b) Watershed is defined as a geographic area through which water flows across the land and
drains into common body of water such as stream, river, lake, ocean, etc.
Q2. Why should we save rain water?
Answer: (i) Approximately, 40% of water used in summer is used outdoors, for the garden and
trees. This is the period when water shortages occur and cities have to resort to restricting
water supply.
(ii) The more rain water is used, the less will go into the sewers it gets mixed with oil and other
toxic residues from the cities.
(iii) Saving water saves money and helps the environment. The more rain water is used, the less
the need to use chlorinated water or chemically treated tap water.
Q3. What are the demerits of canals? How to overcome these defects?
Answer: (i) Salt effervescence: The cultivators misuse canal water by over flooding the fields. It
leads to salt-effervescence which makes the soil infertile. The farmers have to be educated in the
careful utilization of canal water.
(ii) Water-logging: It is a serious problem which has rendered extensive area unfit for farming. The
canals are generally unlined. Hence water seepage towards the adjoining areas goes on, turning them
into swamps. For solving this problem:
(a) Canals should be lined with brick and mortar along the embankments.
(b) Wells may be dug in water-logged areas so that the water may soak down into these wells.
(c) Swamps may be dried up, by draining out the water with the aid of power-driven pumps.
(d) Gypsum can be used which makes the soil fertile again.
Q4. What are the favourable conditions in India for the development of irrigation?
Answer: (i) Perennial Rivers: There are a number of rivers which flow throughout the year because
they are fed by the melting of snows.
(ii) Suitable spots for the construction of dams: Along the Indian streams there are many places
suitable for construction of dams or embankments across the streams for impounding the
water.
(iii) Inexhaustible store of underground water: A large proportion of the rain water finds its way
underneath the surface by percolation and remains stored in the aquifer rock-layer. This underground
water can be tapped for irrigation when required.
(iv) Arable land is level: Arable lands in India are confined to the northern plains and also parts
of deltaic India which are level and suitable for the construction of canals.
(v) Abundance of natural depressions in Southern India: Peninsular India is mostly a plateau
region with rolling uplands. There are a number of natural depressions. Only an earthern
embankment is required to check the outflow.
Give Reasons
Give Geographical Reasons for the following:
Question 1: Give two main reasons why water scarcity occurs in India.
Answer: Water scarcity occurs because:
(i) Seasonal rainfall
(ii) More demand due to increase in Population and Polluted water.
Question 2: Irrigation is necessary despite the monsoon.
Answer: Indian monsoons are most uncertain. Late arrival or early withdrawal of the monsoon
affects crop production severely. Only irrigation can provide security to agriculture from such
irregularity.
Question 3: The drip method of irrigation is the best among all modem methods of irrigation.
Answer: The drip method of irrigation does not involve any loss of water by seepages because
water is supplied through pipes. No water is lost by evaporation because water is supplied directly
on to the roots of the plants.
Question 4: Canal irrigation leads to the ground around it becoming unproductive.
Answer: Excessive flow of water in the fields raises the grounds water level. Capillary action brings
alkaline salts to the surface and makes large areas unfit for agriculture.
Question 5: Give three reasons for conservation of water resources.
Answer: Conservation of water resources has become essential due to:
(i) The increase in population with the progress of time results in water scarcity.
(ii) Our water resources like the river, lakes etc., are polluted and their water can hardly used
without adequate treatment.
(iii) The water demand for industrial use will increase day by day.
Question 6: Irrigation is very necessary for solving the food problem.
Answer: Agricultural crops are varied. Ample supply of water is required during the period of
growth.
Question 7: Give reasons for the popularity of tanks in South India.
Or
Peninsular India is an ideal region for constructing tanks. Why?
Answer: South India is very favourable for tanks as there are a number of natural depressions. The
underlying rocks of the southern plateau are hard, impervious, which check the percolation of water
underneath. The rivers of Peninsular India flow through narrow gorges where it is easier to construct
dams across the river channels for impounding the water. Besides the surface is hard, sloppy,
making it difficult to construct wells or canals.
Question 8: Irrigation arrangements are no less important in areas of heavy rainfall in India.
Answer: (i) Indian rainfall is periodic: Most of the rain falls in four months from June to September.
The remaining eight months are dry.
(ii) Rainfall is not well-distributed during the rainy season: During the four months of the monsoon,
there are spells of dry weather.