JOHNSON GRAMMAR SCHOOL

CLASS-X
GEOGRAPHY H.C.G.PAPER-2 NOTES CH:7 WATER RESOURCE

scOPE:
Sources-(Surface Water and Ground Water)
Need for conservation and conservation practices
Rain water harvesting and its importance
Irrigation- Importance and methods
(No MAPfor ICSE)

Q1. Define the following:

Irrigation: Artificial means of supplying water.

Perennial Canal:_Canals Which supplies water throughout the year, it draws water from
perennial sources.

Inundation canal: The canals which taken directly from river. They flow during the river
are
is flooded. They are mainly seasonal or rainfed.

Need of water resource

India is a land of Rich Natural Resources, Water is one ofthe most Vital.
India being essentially an Agricultural Country, we need Water for Agriculture & Industry.
Water Stored in Reservoirs behind the Dams supplies Water to Villages & Cities. Also
used for production of Hydro Electricity.
Demand for Water is increasing Rapidly, whereas the Supply of Water remains the same.

We have to maintain the balance between the Demand & the Supply

Q2. Name the various sources of water?

A. i) Surface water Rivers, lakes, ponds tanks.

ii) Ground water Rain water that seeps through cracks and
cervices into the ground.

ii) Lagoons & Backwaters India has a long coastline stretching over more
than 6000 kms. The coast is indented and a large number of lagoons have been
formed
Q3. Why is irrigation necessary for a country like India?
A. About 75% of the total cultivated area in India depends on rainfall to sustain crop production.
The increase in irrigation potential was regarded as one of the pre-requisites for agricultural
development.
NEED FOR IRRIGATION IN INDIA

India is an Agricultural country. Hence we need waterfor Agriculture.

Uneven& Uncertain distribution of Rainfall.
Some Crops which are grown in winter need artificial supply ofwater.

Some Crops like Rice, Sugar cane & Jute need plenty of water.
The ever increasing Population needs enhanced irrigation facilities to get maximum yield.

What are the different means of irrigation in India.

Q4 Wells & Tube-wells: (57%) Punjab: Haryana, Uttar Pradesh
A
Canals (31%) UP:Raiasthan WestBengal
Tanks
(6%) Andhra Pradesh. Tamilnadu Karnataka
 WELLS
Q1. What is meant by "Well
Irigation" ? Name the states
A)A well is a small hole dug in the surface of the earth to obtain
irrigation and other purposes. water fron the utroil or
Areas: Uttar Pradesh,
Punjab, Haryana (Alluvial Plains)
Q2. Give the
advantages and dis-advantages of well irrigation.
A.
ADVANTAGES
Simplest &Cheapest source of irrigation
Low Maintenance Cost.
An
independent source of irrigation.
DISADVANTAGES
Wells are not deep
enough & may get dried up in Sumner.
Can irrigate
only a small area.
Some times Well water is
Brackish ( Salty ) hence not
suitable for drinking/ irigation
Q3. Name a few ancient l old
methods of drawing water from wells:
A.
Persian wheel method, Rehat, Dhekli
Q4. What are
"Tube-wells'? Where are they used in India?
A. A tube well is a bore well which is
dug deep in the
ground with the help of driling machine.
Or
Water which is lifted
up with the help of
They are widely used in power driven pumps.
have electricity Punjab and Haryana, Utar Pradesh
(rural-electrification) so tube-wells can be
mainly because
easily used.
most of the
villages
Q5. What are the ideal conditions required for
A. -

Water table should be drilling tube-wells?

high and with perennial water supply.
-

Level land and soft soil.

Cheap Electricity is essential.
Q6. Give the
advantages and
disadvantage of tube-well irrigation.
A. It can irrigate large
-

areas.
Water can be lifted up from
great depths by use of electric
Disadvantage of Tube-wells: pumps.
It is
expensive- requires continuous supply of
Excessive use of
tube-well can lead electricity. to
It depletion of ground water.
becomes useless if water is
(brakish)
ICSE-15: Why is well irrigation a popular means of(salty).
ICSE-12: Give two advantages and one irrigation? Give two reasons.
(refer to Ans.Above) disadvantage that tube wells have over surface wells
ICSE-13: Name two states
where lube-wells are used
importance as a source of irrigation (Refer to ans.
extensively. Give a reason to expla
Above)
ICSE-11: Name two states in which well
irrigation is
disadvantage of wells. widely used. Mention one advantage and one
mass of b
water

Disadvantages:
Since Tanks are
sha
shallow, large amounts of water
Tanks go dry in are wasted
throu
rough evaporation.
Q3 summe
Why is Tank
A irrigation Popular in Deccan
anks are
constructed in the area of peninsular region
eccan plateau is uneven, with natural depression by earthen embankrnE
through. underlying hard-rocks do not allow the waler
O state two
toS
reasons why tank
IcSE-12 irrigation is popular in South India. (Refer to above
Where are tanks ans
Q4. most widely used in India? Why?
Name the
A. Conventional methods of irrigation.
Wells, canals and tanks.
Q5. Name the modern
methods of irigation.
A Tube-wells, drip irrigation, furrow irigation,
Q6. What
spray irrigation, sprinklers irrigation.
are the draw backs of the
co.iventional methods of
irrigation?
I n the conventional Method
large quantities of water is wasted or not properly utilized.
Water iogging, leading poor-yields.
to
Extensive areas in arid / semi-arid areas has problem of accumulation of
unproductive. salt making soil
Soil-silting (canal irigation)
Q7. What are
advantages and disadvantages of Sprinkler irrigation.
ADVANTAGES
This type of irrigation does not involve
any loss of water by seepage or evaporation as water
is supplied through pipe & not
exposed to Sun.
Higher application efficiency.
Easy mechanization & automation.

DISADVANTAGES
High initial & Operating costs.
High Maintenance requirements.
Water application efficiency is strongly affected by winds.
Q8. What are advantages and disadvantages of Drip irrigation.
ADVANTAGES
Water application efficiency is high.
Labor Cost is less.
Water distribution is highly uniform.
Soil erosion is less.
DISADVANTAGES
The initial cost is more compared to the Over Head Systems.
The Sun can affect the tubes used for drip imrigation shortening their usable life.
If the equipment is not properly maintained, it can result in Clogging.

WATER SHED MANAGEMENT RAIN WATER HARVESTING

cONSERVATION OF WATER
What is Water Shed management? What does it include?
1.
Watershed management refers to the efficient management and conservation of both
Aciuface and ground water resOurces.._t includes storage and recharge of ground water by various
methods like:

Percolation pits
Recharge wells
Borewells

Dug wells
 CANALS
Q1. What le moant by Canal
inigation? Namo the two typos of canals.
A. Irigation through water belng dlvertod from the river in the fom of narrow
Canal inigation channels is, ea
Call
The two typen of ae Peromial
and inundation canas.
Q2. Diatingulsh between Porennlal and Inundatlon canals.
A Perenmial canals; are the canalts that
the yea draw water from a perennial source. and flows
throughout
Inundation Canals: aro in uso only when the river ls flooded. They go dry during
They ar soanon summer
Q3. Name the states where canal
Irrigatlon is practiced in India.
A. Uttar Pradesh, Wost
Bengal,
Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka
Q4 Namo somoimportant canala In India.
. Bhakra Canal in Punjab
. Upper Ganga Canal- Uttar Pradesh
i. East Yamuna Canal.
Q5. Give theadvantago and disadvantago of canal irrigation.
A.
Advantagos
.
Rainfall deficiency in some areas is
made up by canals taken out from
I n arid
Rajasthan
areas liko
canals have proved to be a boon. perennial rivers.
.Places like Tamil Nadu and
Punjab which get winter rain only, canals are useful in summer.
Disadvantagos:
. A lot of water-logging takes
place in somo areas of canal irrigation.
.At some places perennial
unlined
canals flow at
Due to Canal irrigation, alkaline salts come to ground
level and give rise to
Swamps.
the suface the soil making unproductive
ICSE-14 Give two advantages that surface wells have over inundation canals.
ICSE-14 Canal irrigation loads to ground
becoming unproductive.
ICSE-13 Name two states where
perennlal canals are used give two reasons.
ICSE-12 why are inundation canals converted to
perennial canals?
TANKS
Q1. What is moant by Tank irrigation. Name the
states/regions famous for tanks in India.
A. Tanks refer to small bund of earth or stones built across a
a
is then led through narrow channels to the cultivated
stream to in ground water which
fields,
Tanks are constructed in the areas of Natural
embankments or masonry walls to collect water
depressions by building earthen

States Maharashtra &Gujarat A.P, Telangana &Tamil

Nadu
Region Deccan plaleau/ Peninsular India

Q2. Give the advantage and disadvantago of tanks:

A Advantages
It is significant in sloing abundant rainwater,
Tank irrigation is cheaper as the rain water is collected in natural pits and later used for

irrigation.
Tank water is used lor domestic purposes in villages.

la uneven rocky poninnsulr plaleau where rainfall is seasonal and scanty, tanks are use
l larce areas of platou Igion, l S diffiçult to constuct wells and canals, only Tank ful,
rigation is useful
 2.
a t are the causes of growing scarclty of water? (ICSE15) / need to conserve a e
A
i.
Rapidly growing population.
i.
Increasing urbanization and industrialization
Water pollution
3 What is Rain water
A. harvesting? List some objoctives.
Collecting and storing rain water to Increase recharge of the ground water.
Objectives:
*Harvesting surface and ground water.
Prevention
To
of losses through
evaporation and seepage.
raise the water table.
Q4. wny Is rain water harvesting important in India. Name some methods in India
A Rain water
harvesting important in India
Supplement water requirements
Improve ground water
Reduce pollution
Gujarat, Meghalaya and Rajasthan practice Rain water
harvesting.
ex. Eris Tamil nadu, Zing - Ladak, Johad- Central India, kere in Deccan plateau, khatri in w.
Himalayas, Surangam in Western ghats.
Q5. Suggest five effective measures to conserve water.
Adopting water saving technologies.
Encouraging water shed_ development
Rain water harvesting
Water recycling
Preventing the pollution of water.
Q6. Name a few methods of recharging
A. ground water.
1) Borewells
Dug wells and Recharge pits
3) Percolation pits
4) Permeable surface

MODERN METHODS OF IRRIGATIONN

DRAWBACKS OF CONVENTIONAL METHODS
Q1. Name the conventional methods of irrigation.
A. Tanks, wells and canals.
Q2. What are the drawbacks of Conventional methods of
A. In the conventional system of irrigation,
irigation?
large quantities of water is not properly used
/ Wastage of water.
In low lying areas excess water causes
water-logging resulting in poor yields.
Extensive areas of semi-arid and arid regions are no longer used for cultivation due
to accumulation of salts. (soil salinity has made soils unsuitable for
Name some modern irrigation methods.
cultivation)
Q3.
A. Furrow, Spray, Drip irigation and Sprinkler irrigation.
Q4. What advantage do the modern means of irrigation has over the Conventional
methods?
A. These are highly scientific
Though they are costly, it is a one time investment in the long run.
Distribution of water is even.
No wastage of water.
No evaporation or evaporation is reduced.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of Sprinkler Irigation?
Q5.
A. Advantages
evaporation
No loss of water by
No loss of water by seepage
Disadvantages

Expensive
small area
Helpful for
that require less water.
>Useful for crops
u1QIlldldKd
 ICSE-2016
Without imigation, development of agriculture is difficult in India. Clarify the statement by
giving thwo reasons.
Mention hwo factors wvhich ae essential for the development of Tube-well imigation.
Give raasONS
Northem Plains are suitable for canal imigation.
Plains have plenty of perennial rivers.
Tank Imigation is important in Kanataka.
What is Rain - Water Harvesting?
Mention two of its objactives.
CSE-201Z
Give a eason for the significance of imigation in
seasonal in winter fertile land/ Water needed for rabi crops)
only,
Punjab (ans: Rain is
Rajasthan (ans: Gets scanty rain, less than 25cm)
Name a state where
Tube-wells ane common (ans: Punjab/ Harayana/W.B. / Rajasthan/Bihar/ U.P.)
Tank ingation is popular (ans: T.N/A.P. Telangana / Karnataka)
Give one geographical reason
Sprinkler imigation is practised in arid and semi-arid regions.
Water is supplied through pipes. No loss of water through evaporation or seepage.
Minimum wastage of water
ii. A Tube-well should be installed in a fertile and productive region.
A To cut the cost of construction.
Productive region means, the cost of tube well can be recovered from increased
famm Output.
Can be installed in faming area as it occupies less space l free from pllution.
Canal irigation is suitable in Northern Plains.
Perennial rivers in Northern plains: plain surface for easy drainage/ soft earth for
construction of canals.
iv.i. Name the activity shown in the diagram above
A. Rain water harvesting9
Give two objectives.

ICSE-2018
a. There is plenty of rain during the rainy season, yet we need irrigation. Give two reasons to
support this statement.

A Rain is erratic and seasonal / annual crops like sugarcane need plenty of water throughout
growing period/ crops like rice need plenty of water/ Iot of loss of water due to evaporation
on account of evaporation of tropical climate/ HYV seedsl any other suitable reason.
b.i. Name three traditional means of irigation.

A. Traditional nmeans wells ortube wells, canals, tanks, bamboo irigation.

i. Give a reason why traditional means of irrigation are still important in most parts of India.

A. Traditional means have low initial cost

c.. Differentiate between surface water and ground water.

A. Surface water: Water avalable in lakes, ponds, rivers, and streams

Ground water Water available below land in aquifer.
ii. Mention two reasons to explain as to why we are facing water scarcity in recent times.

We are facing water scarcity as a lot of water is either wasted or polluted. Demand of pur
A nOtable water is therefore more than its suoplv / oVer uca inductrialization/over
 e a s e the ground water table, to meet the demands of increased population ano
rl activities / store water for scarce
e n C e on ground water / improves ground period waterrunwastage decrese
l
aquifers lprevent
avoid water off / check io009
of rivers/ check soil erosion
ii. Name two water
A.
harvesting systems practised in India.
Rain water Harvesting

(a) The modem means of ICSE-20199

statement. [2] irrigation are gaining popularity." Give two reasons to justity this

(6) Mention two factors that favour the

(c) Give a reason for each
development of tube well irigation in Punjab. [2)
of the following 13]
1. Most of the South Indian states are not suitable for
2. development of canal irrigation.
There is an urgent need for water conservation in India.
3. Development of imigation is essential for the growth of the agriculture sector of India
(d) Brnefly explain the following terms : [3]
1. Inundation canal,
2. Rooftop rainwater harvesting.
3. Surface water.
ICSE-2020
(a) Mention any two methods of recharging ground water aquifers.
b) i) Name the most common means of irigation used in India.
i) Give one reason for the popularity of this means of irrigation in our country.

c)0) Name two states of India where Canal imigation is extensively used.
ii) Name the types of canals used in India.
(ii) Mention one point of difference between the types of canals mentioned by you.

(d)) What geographical conditions make irigation necessary in the country?

i) How has imigation changed the cropping pattern in India?
ii) Why is there a scarcity of surface water in our country?