WATER RESOURCES
INTRODUCATION
Earth's surface is covered three-fourths with water, but a very small percentage of water is usable and
accessible to us. This is mainly the surface run-off and groundwater which can be renewed by the
hydrological process. Still, Water scarcity persists.
Causes of Water Scarcity:
Some of the common causes are:-
• Uneven Precipitation- The seasonal and annual rainfall varies concerning geographical region
and time.
• Over Exploitation- With the increasing population and unequal access to water resources, the
water resources are exploited for domestic purposes and industrial needs. It is also polluted
due to hazardous practices of the industries.
• Irrigative agricultural fields- Water is needed in a large quantity for growing crops. The farmer
owns individual water pumps, which causes decreased groundwater levels in that region,
causing scarcity and drought.
• Industries- Industries not only harm and pollute water resources like rivers and lakes, but they
also require groundwater for working by water pumping devices. The electric power supply
source is also Hydroelectric power.
• Releasing untreated chemicals into water bodies by the industries.
• Unplanned drainage system- Throwing garbage in water bodies pollutes them and makes
them unfit for use.
Solutions for Water Scarcity:
Multi-purpose River Projects
These are large-scale projects that aim to harness river resources for multiple purposes at once. The
key objectives include:
• Irrigation: Providing water for agriculture, providing a consistent food supply, and increasing
agricultural yields.
• Hydropower generation is the process of harnessing the power of flowing water to generate
electricity and contribute to the country's energy needs.
• Flood control is the practice of controlling and reducing floods by regulating river flow and
storing excess water.
• Navigation: To provide navigable transportation channels, hence facilitating trade and product
flow.
• Drinking Water Supply: Provide a steady source of clean water to both urban and rural people.
Dams:
Dams are hydraulic structures built to store water for future use. They act as reservoirs. They become
barriers and restrict the flow of water which can be later used for purposes such as irrigation,
domestic use, industrial use, aquaculture, etc.
Uses:
• It is used in Irrigating the fields.
• Used in Electricity Generation: In the Sutlej-Beas River Basin, The Bhakra- Nangal Dam is used
widely for hydel power production and irrigation.
• Used as the Water supply for domestic purposes.
• Used to Supply water for industries and manufacturers.
• Used in Flood Control:- The Hirakud Dam in the Mahanadi basin is used for flood control.
• Used for Recreational purposes like water parks
• Used in Inland Navigation.
• Used in Fish Breeding.
Jawaharlal Nehru claimed dams to be "Temples of Modern India '' as they would help
in activities like agriculture, the development of the village economy, the blooming of
industries, and the growth of the urban economy.
Disadvantages of Dams
• Construction of the Dam interrupted the flow of water which caused the irregular flow of
sediments, increasing the sedimentation in the reservoir, which made the livelihood of aquatic
animals quite difficult. The dam led to fragmented rivers which made the migration of aquatic
organisms difficult.
• Local People started getting displaced from their land.
• Due to high water availability, all farmers preferred commercial crops, which caused an
ecological imbalance.
• There was an increase in the social gap as they caused disputes among the people wanting
their water needs to be prioritised. Even inter-state disputes became common.
• Flood control dams triggered floods as well because of the sedimentation in the reservoir.
When excessive rainfall occurs, dams fail to control floods. The release of water from dams
caused floods itself many times.
• Land degradation: Other than the loss of lives and properties, the flood also eroded soil.
Rainwater Harvesting
Rainwater harvesting is done according to the region and its climatic conditions. It has been done in
India since ancient times.
• In the Western Himalayas - 'guls' or 'kuls' were formed which were the diversion channels for
water for agriculture.
• In Rajasthan - Rooftop Rainwater harvesting is common.
• In West Bengal - Inundation channels are formed for irrigation.
• In Arid and Semi-arid regions - Agricultural fields are used as rain-fed storage structures which
allowed the rainwater to be stagnant and made the soil moist. They had large tanks which
were as big as a room and were placed in the courtyard of their house, the rainwater from
their sloppy roofs would accumulate in the tanks through a pipe.
