CLASS 10 NOTES

GEOGRAPHY

Water
Resources
RISHI TOMAR
 RISHI SIR

water resources
Water is a renewable resource.

Three-fourth of the Earth‘s surface is

covered with but only a small proportion of
it accounts for freshwater fit for use.

Freshwater is mainly obtained from surface runoff and

groundwater that is continually being renewed and
rechanged through the hydrological cycle.

96.5% of the total volume of the world’s water is

estimated to exist as oceans and only 2.5% as freshwater.

70% of total freshwater is present as frozen ice in

icebergs and glaciers.
A little less than 30% of total freshwater is stored as
groundwater.

India receives nearly 4% of the global precipitation and

ranks 133 in the world in terms of water availability per
person per annum.

The total renewable water resources in India are

estimated at 1,897 sq km per annum.

By 2025, it is predicted that large parts of India will join

countries and regions having absolute water scarcity.
Water Scarcity RISHI SIR
exam mei ayegaE.M.A

How can water be scarce when it is so abundant and

renewable?
Lets understand what actually water scarcity is?

The availability of Water Resources varies over space and

time, mainly due to the variations in seasonal and annual
precipitation.
Water scarcity in most cases is caused by over-
exploitation, excessive use and unequal access to water.

Falken marks defined water scarcity as :

“ Water stress occurs when availability of water is between
1,000 and 1,600 cubic meter per person per year”.
Reasons for water scarcity (Quantitative)

(i) Water scarcity may be an outcome of large and growing

population and consequent greater demands for water,
and unequal access to it.

(ii) As the population increases, the food demand also

increases.
To provide food to a large population, agriculture is done on
large scale. Agriculture requires much water for irrigation
especially in dry-season agriculture.

It further leads to falling groundwater levels, adversely

affecting water availability and food security of the people.

The solution is to develop drought-resistant crops and dry

farming techniques.
 RISHI SIR

(iii) Intensive Industrialisation and urbanisation causing water

scarcity.

Industries, apart from being heavy users of water, also

require power to run them.
Much of this energy comes from hydroelectric power.
Multiplying urban centres with large and dense population
and urban lifestyles have not only added to water and
energy requirements but have further aggravated the
problem.

Housing society have their own groundwater pumping devices

to meet their water needs.
E.M.A

Reasons for water scarcity (Qualitative)

Situation where water is sufficiently available to meet the

needs of the people, but, the area still suffers from water
scarcity because of the bad quality of water which is
polluted by domestic and industrial wastes, chemicals,
pesticides and fertilizers used in agriculture, thus, making
it hazardous for human use.

Need for Water Conservation and Management

To meet the water demand effectively.
To safeguard people from health hazards caused by
drinking toxic water.
To ensure food security.
To ensure the continuation of our livelihoods and productive
activities.
To prevent the degradation of our natural ecosystems.
To reduce over-exploitation and mismanagement of water
resources.
 RISHI SIR

Multi-Purpose River Projects and

Integrated Water Resource Management
Archaeological and historical records show that in ancient
times, we used to conserve water by constructing
sophisticated hydraulic structures like dams built of stone
rubble, reservoirs or lakes, embankments and canals for
irrigation.

We have continued this tradition in modern India by building

dams in most of our river basins.

E.M.A

Hydraulic structures in Ancient India

(i) For channeling the flood water of Ganga, water harvesting
system was built near Allahabad in the first century BC.

(ii) Dams, lakes and irrigation systems were built during

the time of Chandragupta Maurya.

(iii) Sophisticated irrigation systems were found in

Orissa, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Maharashtra.

(iv) In the 11th century, Bhopal Lake, one of the largest

artificial lakes of its time was built.

(v) The tank in Hauz Khas, Delhi was constructed by lltutmish

for supplying water to the Siri Fort area in the 14th
century.
 RISHI SIR

Multi-Purpose River Projects E.M.A

Dams

A dam is a barrier across flowing water that obstructs,

directs or retards the flow, often creating a reservoir,
lake or impoundment.
Based on structure and the materials used, dams are
classified as timber dams, embankment dams or masonry
dams with several subtypes.
According to the height, dams can be categorized as large
dams and major dams, low dams, medium height dams and
high dams.
Multi-purpose river projects large dams that serve several
purposes in addition to impounding the water of a river
and used later to irrigate agricultural fields. For example -
the Sutluj-Beas river basin, the Bhakra-Nangal project
etc.

First Prime Minister, Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru, proclaimed multi-

purpose river projects as The Temples of Modern India, as
they initiate development of agriculture and village economy
with rapid industrialization and growth of the urban economy.
E.M.A
Advantages of Multi-Purpose River projects:
Electricity generation
Irrigation
Water supply for domestic and industrial uses
Flood control
Recreation
Inland navigation
Fish breeding
Disadvantages of Multi-Purpose River projects:
It affects the natural flow of the river causing poor
sediment flow and excessive sedimentation at the bottom
of the reservoir.
It destroys the habitats for the river‘s aquatic life.
It submerges the existing vegetation and soil if created on
the floodplains.
It displaces the local people of the place where it is
created.
These are unsuccessful in controlling floods at the time of
excessive rainfall.
These projects included earthquakes, caused water-borne
diseases and pests and pollution resulting from excessive
use of water.

Movements against Multi-Purpose Projects

Multi-purpose projects and large dams have also been the
cause of many new environmental movements like the
‘Narmada Bachao Andolan’ and the ‘Tehri Dam Andolan’
etc.

Resistance to these projects has primarily been due to

the large-scale development of local communities.

Local people often had to give up their land, livelihood and

their meagre access and control over resources for the
greater good of the the nation.

Perhaps, the landowners and large farmers, industrialists

and a few urban centres are only benefitting from such
projects.
Irrigation
E.M.A

Irrigation has also changed the cropping pattern of many

regions with farmers shifting to water-intensive and
commercial crops.
This has great ecological consequences like salinisation of
the soil.
At the same time, it has transformed the social landscape
i.e. increasing the social gap between the richer
landowners and the landless poor.
In Gujarat, the Sabarmati-basin farmers were agitated
and almost caused a riot over the higher priority given to
water supply in urban areas, particularly during droughts.
Inter-state water disputes are also becoming common
with regard to sharing the costs and benefits of the
multi-purpose project.

Rainwater Harvesting
Economically and environmentally viable alternative in
period of resistance against Multi-Purpose Projects.
Variation in water harvesting system, keeping the local
ecological conditions and their water needs in mind.

In ancient India, along with the sophisticated hydraulic

structures, there existed an extraordinary tradition
of water-harvesting system.

(i) Guls and Kuls

In mountainous region of Western Himalayas for
agriculture.
Impoundment on hill tops.
(ii) Khadins and Johads
Jaisalmer and Rajasthan
In arid area, agricultural field were converted into Rain
fed storage structures.

(iii) Bamboo drip irrigation system

In Meghalaya, 200 year old system of using bamboo pipe
to transport water.
18-20 litres of water enters the bamboo pipes and 20-80
drop reaches at the site of plants.

(iv) In the flood plains of Bengal, people developed inundation

channels to irrigate their fields.
(v) Rooftop Rainwater Harvesting.

Rooftop Rainwater Harvesting

E.M.A

Tanka System
In arid and semi-arid area of Rajasthan [Bikaner, Phalodhi]
Had Tankas [underground]
Connected with Rooftop Rainwater Harvesting.
Through pipes water is transported to tankas.
Reliable Source of Drinking water.
Beat the summer heat.

Gendathur Model
In Gendathur, a remote backward village in Mysuru,
Karnataka villagers have installed rooftop rainwater
harvesting system to meet their water needs.
Nearly 200 households have installed this system and the
village has earned the 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 about 50,000
litres of water annually.
From the 200 houses, the net amount of rainwater
harvested annually amounts to 1,00,000 litres.

Tamil Nadu is the first state having Compulsory legal

provision for Rooftop Rain Water Harvesting.

E.M.A
Map Work:
 Top 7 Questions:
3 markers
1. Identify any three hydraulic structures as part of
water management programmes initiated in ancient India
along with the period when they were built.

Ans. Some examples of hydraulic structures in ancient India

are:
In the 1st century BC, Sringaverapura near Allahabad
had water harvesting system channelling the flood
water of the river Ganga.
During the reign of Chandragupta Maurya, dams, lakes
and irrigation systems were extensively built.
In the period of 11th century, Bhopal lake, one of the
largest artificial lakes was built.
The tank in Hauz Khas, Delhi was built by Iltutmish for
supplying water to Siri Fort area in the 14th century.

2. Multi-purpose projects are ‘Temples of Modern India’.

Justify.

Ans.
Multi-purpose river projects are "Temples of Modern
India' due to following reasons:
The multi-purpose projects controls flood as well as
useful in irrigation, power generation, fish
breeding, etc.
The multi-purpose projects were considered to bring
development in agriculture and the village economy with
rapid industrialisation and growth in the urban economy.
The dams were an important symbol of these projects
and consequently of the modernisation of India.
3. What were the reasons for launching multi-purpose
river projects in India after independence?

Ans. After independence, India initiated multi-purpose river

projects through the five year plans.

The reasons for launching multi-purpose river projects

in India after independence are as follows :
Electricity generation is one of the objectives of
multi-purpose projects. India generates
approximately 22 percent of its energy needs
through this.
These projects control floods by storing excess water
in their reservoirs.
During the dry season, the stored water in these
projects can be used to irrigate the fields.
Trees are systematically planted around reservoirs in
these projects which help in preserving the natural
eco-system as well as wildlife.

4. “Traditional harvesting system is a useful system to

conserve and store water”. Highlight the importance
of this system with two examples.

Ans. Traditional harvesting system is a useful system to

conserve and store water. Some traditional water
harvesting systems practised in India are:
(i) In Rajasthan the system of using underground tanks is
popular. It is important for storing water for domestic
use.
(i) In hilly areas like Himachal Pradesh, the system of
using diversion channels is called Guls' and 'Kuls'. These
are used for storing water for irrigation.
 (ii) In Meghalaya, the bamboo pipe drip irrigation
system is used. It is used to irrigate crops.

5. How has urbanisation posed a threat to existing

fresh water resources in India?

Ans.
Urbanisation has added to water scarcity. It is because
today urban areas are densely populated. The lifestyle of
urban areas requires huge consumption of water and
power. To manage the shortage of water, housing
societies and buildings have their own pumping devices to
draw groundwater. This has resulted in depletion of
fresh water resources and over exploitation of
groundwater.
Therefore, urbanisation have aggravated the problem of
water scarcity.

5 markers

1. Explain any five reasons responsible for water scarcity

in India.

Ans. Following are the important factors responsible for the

water scarcity in the world:
(i) Water scarcity is an outcome of large and growing
population and consequent greater demands for water
and unequal access to it.
(ii) To facilitate higher foodgrain production, water
resources are being over-exploited to expand
irrigated areas and dry season agriculture.
(iii) Industries apart from being heavy users of
water, also require power to run them. Much of this
energy comes from hydroelectric power.
 (iv) Increasing urban centres with large and dense
populations and urban life styles have not only added
to water and energy requirements but have further
aggravated the problems.
(v) Much of water is polluted by domestic and
industrial wastes, chemicals, pesticides and fertilisers
used in agriculture. Thus, making it unfit for human
use.

2. How have industrialisation and urbanisation posed a

great pressure on existing freshwater resources in
India? Explain with examples.

Ans. The number of industries are increasing after

independence and have become a reason for pressure on
existing fresh water resources. Freshwater is almost
limited. It is renewable, but over-exploitation and
mismanagement of this resource by industries are
aggravating the water stress day-by-day in the following
ways:
(i) Industries especially heavy industries use huge
amount of fresh water for industrial purpose and pollute
and waste such water.
(ii) The industries for their energy consumption purpose
depend on hydroelectric projects and this electricity is
generated through damming the rivers upstream. So,
the river almost dries in the lower stream areas.
(iii) Industries dump the chemical waste in the river,
lake, etc. which then consequently pollute the water and
make it toxic. Chemicals from industries also contaminate
the groundwater through seepage of industrial wastes.
So, the increasing number of industries exert pressure
on existing fresh water resources.