WATER RESOURCES

Q1.Where is fresh water directly obtained from on earth? How is it being continuously being renewed? A1.Fresh water is directly obtained from precipitation, surface runoff and ground water. It is being continuously being renewed by the hydrological cycle. 96.5% of total water in the world exists as oceans and only 2.5% as fresh water. Q2.What is water scarcity? Give some reasons for water scarcity. OR Why do we need to conserve water? (We need to conserve...) OR How have intensive industrialization and urbanization put a great pressure (aggravated) on existing fresh water resources in India? ( Ans points 1, 2, 4, 5) OR Why is it necessary to conserve water resources in India? A2.Water scarcity is when adequate water is not available to meet its requirement for different uses. Today we need to conserve water since the demand is increasing due to economic growth and urbanisation.We need to conserve water to ensure food security, continuation of livelihood and production activities and to prevent degradation of our natural ecosystems. The following are the areas where water is needed OR The various causes for water scarcity are: (any 4) 1.Growing population: Rapid growth of population has increased the demand for consumption of water for domestic and other purpose. 2.Higher food grain production: A large population means more water to produce more food. Water resources are being over-exploited to expand irrigated areas and dry-season agriculture. 3.Private wells and tube wells: Most rich farmers have their own private wells and tube wells in their farms to increase their production. It leads to the falling of the ground water level. 4.Post-independent industrialization: After independence, there was an increase in industrialization and urbanization. The ever increasing number of industries put pressure on water resources. Abundant water is used for washing, dyeing and for cooling the machines. 5.Urban lifestyles: Cities are expanding with a large and dense population and the urban life styles is adding to the water crisis. Many housing societies or colonies have their own ground water pumping devices to meet their water demands. 6.Bad quality:Even if there is ample of water to meet the water demands, much of it is polluted by domestic and industrial wastes, chemicals, pesticides and fertilizers used in agriculture, thus making it hazardous for human use. Q3.Mention some hydraulic structures in ancient India. A3.Some structures are (any 4) 1.In the 1st cent BC, Sringaverapur, near Allahabad, had sophisticated water harvesting system channeling the flood water of the river Ganga. 2.During the time of Chandragupta Maurya, dams, lakes and irrigation systems were extensively built. 3.Evidences of sophisticated irrigation works have also been found in Kalinga, Nagarjunkonda, Bennur, Kolhapur, etc.

4.In the 11th cent, Bhopal lake, one of the largest artificial lakes of its time was built. 5.In the 14th cent, the tank in Hauz Khas, Delhi, was constructed by Iltutmish for supplying water to Sri Fort area. Q4.What do mean by multi-purpose river valley project? OR Who termed multipurpose river valley projects as new temples of modern India and why? A4.These projects are planned and executed in such a way that they serve many purposes. Jawaharlal Nehru called them as new temples of modern India as they would integrate the development of agriculture and the village economy, with industrialization and urban economy. These projects have laid the foundations for improving the standard of living of the people.These dams serve the following purposes: 1.Irrigation2.Flood control3.Hydroelectricity4.Water supply for domestic and industrial use5.Recreation6.Inland navigation7.Fish breeding8.Conservation of soil and water through afforestation9.Preservation of wild life and wet lands10.Tourism(Explain each point separately) Q5.What are dams? How are they classified? A5.A dam is a barrier across flowing water. It obstructs, directs or retards the flow, often creating a lake or reservoir. Most dams have a section called the spillway or weir, through which the water flows either intermittently or continuously. Dams are classified according to: 1.Structure and material used: Timber dams, embankment dams or masonry dams. 2.Purpose: Large dams, major dams 3.Height: Low, medium and high dams. Q6.In recent years, multi-purpose dams have come under great scrutiny and opposition for a variety of reasons Explain. (any 4) A6. The arguments against dams are: 1.Regulating and damming of rivers affect their natural flow causing poor sediment flow and excessive sedimentation at the bottom of the reservoir resulting in rockier stream beds and poorer habitats for the aquatic life. 2.It leads to displacement of people, who have to give up their land and means of livelihood. They may or may not be rehabilitated somewhere else. Sometimes they are also not benefitting from these projects as the entire benefit is going towards the landowners, rich farmers, industries and urban centers. 3.The land is also submerged to create reservoirs, which also leads to decomposition after a period of time. 4.Dams fragment the rivers and so make it difficult for the aquatic fauna to migrate, specially for spawning.

5.With excessive water for irrigation, rich farmers change their cropping pattern. They shift to water intensive and commercial crops. This also creates a social gap b/w the rich land owners and landless poor. 6.Sometimes the dams that were constructed to control floods have caused floods due to sedimentation in the reservoir. These floods have caused a great loss of life and property and also caused soil erosion. 7.Dams cause conflict b/w people wanting different uses and benefits from the same water resources. Inter-state water disputes are also becoming common with regard to sharing the costs and benefits of the multi-purpose project. Q7.Which social movements were started against the multi-purpose projects and why? A7. 1.The Narmada Bachao Andolan was against the Sardar Sarovar Dam across the Narmada river, and Tehri Dam Andolan was against the dam across the Ganga river. 2.It was due to large scale displacement of local communities, who had to give up their land and livelihood and their control over the resources. 3. The local people were not benefiting from such projects. 4.The benefit was going to the large farmers, land owners, industrialists and urban centers. Q8. What is water harvesting? Describe some water harvesting systems in ancient India. A8.Water harvesting is a technique of increasing the recharge of ground water by capturing and storing rainwater. This is done by constructing structures such as dug wells, percolation pits, checkdams. Some water harvesting systems were: 1. KULS AND GULS: In hills and mountainous regions, people built diversion channels like the guls or kuls of the Western Himalayas for agriculture. 2.TANKAS: This was a part of Rooftop rain water harvesting which was commonly practiced to store drinking water, particularly in the arid and semi arid regions of Rajasthan ie Bikaner, Phalodi and Barmer. 3. INUNDATION CHANNELS: In the flood plains of Bengal, people developed inundation channels to irrigate their fields. 4.KHADINS AND JOHADS: Agricultural fields were converted into rain fed storage structures that allowed the water to stand and moisten the soil like the khadins in Jaisalmer and Johads in other parts of Rajasthan. Q9.How is rain water harvesting carried out in arid and semi-arid regions of Rajasthan? A9. 1.In the arid and semi-arid regions of Rajasthan, specially Bikaner, Phalodi and Barmer, almost all houses had under ground tanks or tankas for storing drinking water. The tank could be as large as a big room. 2. The tankas were part of the rooftop rain water harvesting system and were built inside the main house or courtyard. 3.They were connected to the sloping roofs of the house through a pipe. Rain falling on the rooftops would travel down the pipe and was stored in these underground tankas. 4.The 1st spell was not collected as this would clean the roofs and the pipes.

5.Repeat point 4 of Answer 8. Q10.Describe how modern adaptations of traditional rainwater harvesting methods are being carried out to conserve and store water. A10.In many parts of rural and urban India, rain water harvesting is being successfully adapted to store and conserve water. For eg. 1.In Gendathur, a remote backward village in Mysore, Karnataka, nearly 200 households have installed the rooftop rainwater harvesting system The village has got a rare distinction of being rich in rainwater. Gendathur receives an annual precipitation of 1,000 mm, and with 80% of collection efficiency and of about 10 fillings, every house can collect and use of about 50,000 litres of water annually. 2.Tamil Nadu is the 1st and only state in India which has made rooftop rainwater harvesting structure compulsory to all the houses across the state. There are legal provisions to punish the defaulters. 3.In Meghalaya, a 200 yr old system of tapping stream and spring water is still practiced. The channel.(ans 11) Q11.Write briefly about the bamboo drip irrigation system of Meghalaya. A11. 1.This is a 200 year old system of tapping stream and stream water by using bamboo pipes. 2.The channel sections, made of bamboo, divert water to the plant site where it is distributed into various branches. 3.The flow of water into the pipes is controlled by manipulating the pipe positions. 4.About 18-20 litres of water enters the bamboo pipe system, gets transported over hundreds of metres, and finally reduces to 20-80 drops per minute at the site of the plant. NEETA