Topic:-WATER RESOURCES

Question 1 Answer the following questions:

a. What do you mean by irrigation?

Answer: The man-made arrangements of supplying water to the fields are

known as irrigation.

b. Name one State where tank irrigation is important. Give three

disadvantages of tank irrigation.

Answer: Tamil Nadu is the state where tank irrigation in important.

The disadvantages of tanks:

(i) They occupy large areas of land which could be used for cultivation.

(ii) There is also a lot of evaporation as these tanks are usually shallow.

(iii) Construction requires much expenditure.

c. What is meant by Rain Water Harvesting?

Answer: It is the term used for capturing the rain water which would
normally fall off and get wasted. It is used for the garden, washing clothes,
etc.

d. Why is canal irrigation more popular in Northern India?

Answer: (i) The rivers are perennial as they are fed by the melting snows,
(ii) The surface of the land is almost flat and soft. Hence it is easy to dig
canals, (iii) The demand for irrigation is very great in North India as a
variety of crops are grown, (iv) Type of cultivation is intensive.

e. What is Garden Water saver Diverter (GWS)? What advantage does it

have over other rain water harvesting devices?
Answer: It is a downspout rain water diverter which simplifies the
collection of rain water. It has advantages over other rain water collection
systems in that it is installed in minutes and deactivates in seconds
during winter when stored water is not needed. As it is kept underground
or in low visibility locations more containers can be added (linked) or filled
by simply moving a hose pipe
 f. What is the purpose of the float switch in the Super Rainwater System?

Answer: The float switch is an innovative device mounted on the tank

which automatically controls the water supply. If the rain water tank is
full it will automatically pump the rain water for use in the garden or
washing machine. If the rain water tank is empty or when there is a dry
spell and water in the tank falls to the minimum level, the floating switch
triggers the use of the normal mains water.

Question 2
a. Mention two advantages of rainwater harvesting.

Answer: Two advantages of rainwater harvesting are:

(i) Recharge of groundwater

(ii) Conservation of water, reduces surface runoff.

b. Mention two advantages that surface wells have over inundation canals.

Answer: Wells are an independent source of irrigation. It may be used as

and when the necessity arises.

(i) Wells are simplest and cheapest source of irrigation, can be dug at
any convenient place.

(ii) Inundation canals are ‘flood-water’ canals and have water in them
only when the river is flooded during the rainy season.

c. Name two states in which tube wells are extensively used. Give a reason
to explain its importance as a source of irrigation.

Answer: Tube wells are extensively used in Punjab and Haryana because
the land is soft to bore tube wells and availability of electric power.

d. Give two advantages and one disadvantage that tube wells have over
 surface wells.

Answer: Advantages: Tube wells do not result in evaporation of water

like surface wells. It irrigates large area (400 hectares).

Disadvantage: Tube wells are only possible in areas where the

groundwater level is not too low power is needed to drain water.

e. Where are tanks most widely used in India? Why?

Answer: Tanks are mostly used in peninsular India. This is because:

(i) Peninsular India consists of hard impervious rocks which favours the
storage of water.

(ii) Depression in the plateau region can be used as Natural tanks.

Question 3 Long Questions:

a. 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 earthen embankment is
 required to check the outflow.

b. What are the reasons that necessitate artificial irrigation? OR What is

the importance of irrigation?

Answer: Artificial irrigation has to be resorted to for the following

reasons:

(i) Indian rainfall is periodic. Most of the rainfalls is 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. There are regions where the
rainfall is scanty, e.g., Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana, the interior parts of
Peninsular Plateau get much less rain than is required.

(iii) Agricultural crops are varied. The requirements of water varies for
different crops. Rice requires heavy rain. Sugarcane, tobacco, vegetables
also require regular and abundant supply of water.

(iv) Ample supply of water is required during the period of growth.

(v) India is a hot country. Evaporation is rapid.

(vi) Drought conditions. In India droughts commonly occur. This

becomes a problem not only for agriculture but also the economy of the
entire country.

Question 4 With reference to well irrigation, answer the following questions:

(i) Name two states in which well irrigation is widely used.

(ii) Name two types of well used for irrigation in these states.

(iii) Describe two methods of drawing water from the wells.

(iv) Give two advantages and two disadvantages of wells.

 Answer: (i) Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana.

(ii) Ordinary wells and tube-wells.

(iii) 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’.

(iv) Advantages: (a) easy to dig and construct, (b) cheap

Disadvantages: (a) wells can irrigate a very small area about half a
hectare of land.

(b) In times of drought they run dry. (c) Besides there is strain on the
animals.

Question 5 What are the several methods applied for lifting water from wells?

Answer: 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’.
 Give (i) two advantages of tube-wells as a method of irrigation, (ii) What
are the conditions necessary for tube-wells.

Answer: (i) (a) Tube-wells can irrigate a larger area about 400 hectares,

(b) They are definitely better in times of drought when surface wells dry
up.

(c) The process of irrigation is quicker and more convenient.

(ii) The conditions necessary for tube wells are:

(a) Sufficient ground water.

(b) Cheap electric power must be made available.

Question 6 What are the demerits of canals? How to overcome these defects?

Answer: (i) Salt effervescence: The cultivators misuse canal water by

overflooding 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.

Question Why should we save rain water?

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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.
(iv) There is saving on water bill to the extent of 30% to 50% for domestic
users and 80% for commercial users of the treated drinking water from
the mains. Having metered water is the best way of appreciating this
difference.

Question 8 What is a rain water harvester? How does it work?

Answer: It is a storage tank usually fitted underground to your down

pipes coming from the roof. Rainwater enters the tank through a filter
which removes the leaves and other debris. The system contains a pump
which pushes or sucks the rain water back into the house where it is
delivered to the toilets or clothes washing machine. The tank is placed in
the dark and kept oxygenated to prevent the growth of algae. This filtered
untreated water should not be used for drinking.

Rain water harvesters can be installed in houses, bungalows, large sheds

or any building with a roof on it to capture the rain water. Commercial
premises are very suitable as they often have a larger roof space and
higher percentage of water use that can be replaced by rain water.

Question 9 What is the importance of rain water harvesting?

Answer: (i) The demand for water is increasing. The urban population of
India has increased five times in the last five decades from 62.4 million
in 1951 to 286 million in 2001. The demand for water has concomitantly
grown to almost double the amount of water a citizen ordinarily requires.

(ii) Till not very many years back our cities were self-sufficient for water.
Today, water bodies are disappearing and ground water is being
extracted. The rivers are getting polluted.

(iii) The management of water is in the hands of the states. This has led
 to communities and households no longer being the agents of water
management.

(iv) The earlier use of rain water and flood water has declined. In its
place, an ever-growing reliance on river water and ground water has
arisen. This has led to such large-scale extraction of ground water both
by the government and private bodies that our river basins are getting
polluted.

(v) Large dams are constructed to store water and canals constructed to
distribute the water. The former has caused large scale displacement of
communities and ecological havoc, while the latter has brought large
scale degradation of land due to soil salination. Water availability both in
terms of quality and quantity has declined to such an extent that many
parts of India face a drought like situation.

Question (i) Name two methods of water harvesting in India.

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(ii) Mention any two objectives of rain water harvesting.

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.

(ii) Objectives of rain water harvesting:

(a) To avoid flooding of roads

(b) To raise ground water table.

Question Mention any three water harvesting systems practised in India.

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Answer: (i) The simplest rainwater harvesting technique is the check
dam. It is a small barrier built across streams. They store water during
 the monsoons which can then be used for irrigation etc.

(ii) Another rainwater harvesting technique is the storage tank kept

underground and connected to the pipe coming down from the roof. The
rain water enters the tank through a filter which removes leaves and
other debris. The system contains a pump which pushes or sucks the
rain water back into the house which is then delivered to the garden,
washing clothes etc.

(iii) Another rainwater collection system is the Garden Water saver

diverter (GWS). It is a downspout rainwater diverter which simplifies the
collection of rain water. It has advantages over other rainwater collection
systems in that it installs in minutes and deactivates in seconds during
winter when stored water isn’t much needed.

Question Give Geographical Reasons for the following:

12
a 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.

b 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.

c 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.
d 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.

e 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 be used without adequate treatment.

(iii) The water demand for industrial use will increase day by day.

f 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.

g 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.

h 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.

Question Differentiate:
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a What geographical advantages for irrigation does the Indo-Gangetic Plain
have over the Deccan?

Answer: Indo-Gangetic Deccan has:

1. A number of perennial rivers fed by the melting snows. Rivers are

seasonal depending on the monsoons.

2. The surface is flat and soft. The surface is hard, rocky and sloppy.

b Distinguish between Inundation canals and Perennial canals or Why are

Perennial canals more important than inundation canals.

Answer: Inundation Canals Perennial Canals have:

1. They are taken out from the rivers without constructing dams,
barrage, embankments. They are taken out from the rivers or reservoirs
by constructing dams or barrages.

2. They are full of water only in the rainy season or when the river is in
flood. They have water throughout the year as the water is stored behind
 the dam.

Question Name the Following:

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a Name the State which leads in irrigation by wells in India.

Answer: Uttar Pradesh.

b Name the types of irrigation prevailing in India.

Answer: The prevalent types of irrigation in our country are:

Wells: Ordinary and tube-wells, (ii) Tanks, (iii) Canals.

c Name the two types of irrigation canals.

Answer:i. Inundation canals ii. Perennial canals

Question Choose the correct option (MCQ):
15
a Irrigation is necessary in India because:
i.rivers are perennial.
ii.rainfall is only for 3 to 4 months in a year so for crops to grow
water is required.
iii. All crops require water.
iv. Sometimes there is a drought.
Answer:ii)
b Canal irigation is more popular in North India because:
i.Canals are cheap to build.
ii.In North India the surface is porous.
iii.Rivers are perennial.
iv.North India has a good network of canal system.
Answer:iii
c. Canal irrigation has enabled ____________ and ___________ to be
called the granary of the country:
i.Tamil nadu, Andhra Pradesh
ii. Rajasthan, Gujarat
iii. Punjab, Haryana
iv. Maharashtra, Gujarat
Answer: iii
d. The water which gets collected under the surface of the land is
known as_____________.
i.surface water
ii.aquifer
 iii.ground water
iv.saline water
Answer:iii
e Primary source of water is _____________:
i.lakes
ii. rivers
iii. ground water
iv. rain
Answer: iv
f Well irrigation is confined mainly to the alluvial plains because:
i.It is a cheap, simple and dependable source of irrigation.
ii.owing to the soft nature of the soil, wells can be easily dug.
iii.more farmers own agricultural land.
iv.yield of the crops is high.
Answer:ii
g The ideal conditions for the drilling of tubewells are:
i.availability of plentiful water at great depths.
ii.small area to be irrigated.
iii.petroleum,diesel
iv.farmer must own his land
Answer:i.
h Inundation canals have limited use because-
i.no barrage or dam is constructed.
ii.they use excess water of the river
iii.water is brackish in them
iv.they get supply of water only when the rivers are in flood.
Answer: iv

i Tank irrigation is very popular in:

i.Peninsular India
ii.Northern plain of India
iii.High uplands
iv.North western India
Answer:i
j Drawback of modern irrigation methods:
i.uneven distribution of water
ii.expensive method of irrigation
iii.limited use
iv. loss of water
Answer:ii