Class X

Geography
Chapter 3: Water Resources

1. Give the uses of water. (3)

i) Domestic- drinking, cooking, cleaning etc.
ii) Agriculture
iii) Industry
iv) Hydro electricity
v) Transport

2. Why do you think humans have chosen to live near water courses like along the rivers?
(1)
Water is essential for life. Eg. River valley civilization- Harappan civilization- river
Indus, Mesopotamian civilization- river Euphrates and Tigris, Egyptian civilization- Nile
and Chinese civilization- Yangtze.

3. Explain how water becomes a renewable resource. (3) Q2 (i)

• Three-fourth of the earth’s surface is covered with water, but only a small
proportion of it accounts for freshwater that can be put to use.
• This freshwater is mainly obtained from surface run off and ground water that is
continually being renewed and recharged through the hydrological cycle.
• All water moves within the hydrological cycle ensuring that water is a renewable
resource.

4. What are sources of fresh water? (1)

Fresh water can be obtained directly from:
i. Precipitation
ii. Surface run off
iii. Ground water

WATER SCARCITY AND THE NEED FOR WATER CONSERVATION AND

MANAGEMENT

5. What is water scarcity? (1) # Q2(ii)

Water scarcity is the lack of sufficient water resources to meet the water needs of the
region.

6. What are the main causes of water scarcity? (5) ** Q2(ii)

The availability of water resources varies over space and time, mainly due to the
variations in seasonal and annual precipitation, but water scarcity in most cases is
caused by over-exploitation, excessive use and unequal access to water among different
social groups.
 a) Growing population
• Many of our cities eg Delhi, Mumbai are such examples.
• Thus, water scarcity may be an outcome of large and growing population and
consequent greater demands for water, and unequal access to it.

b) Agriculture
• A large population requires more water not only for domestic use but also to
produce more food.
• Hence, to facilitate higher food-grain production, water resources are being
over-exploited to expand irrigated areas for dry-season agriculture.

c) Industrialisation
• Post-independent India witnessed intensive industrialisation and urbanisation,
creating vast opportunities for us.
• Today, large industrial houses are as common place as the industrial units of
many MNCs (multinational corporations).
• The ever increasing number of industries has made matters worse by exerting
pressure on existing freshwater resources.

d) Urbanisation
• Multiplying urban centres with large and dense populations and urban
lifestyles have not only added to water and energy requirements but have further
aggravated the problem.

e) Hydro electric power generation

• Industries, apart from being heavy users of water, also require power to run them.
Much of this energy comes from hydroelectric power.
• Today, in India hydro electric power contributes approximately 22 per cent of
the total electricity produced.

f) Bad quality of water

• Scarcity may be due to bad quality of water.
• Lately, there has been a growing concern that even if there is ample water to meet
the needs of the people, much of it may be polluted by domestic and industrial
wastes, chemicals, pesticides and fertilisers used in agriculture, thus, making it
hazardous for human use.

7. Explain how a region or an area may have ample water resources but still face water
scarcity. (2)
• There may be a situation where water is sufficiently available to meet the needs of
the people, but, the area still suffers from water scarcity.
• This scarcity may be due to bad quality of water.
• Lately, there has been a growing concern that even if there is ample water to meet
the needs of the people, much of it may be polluted by domestic and industrial
wastes, chemicals, pesticides and fertilizers used in agriculture, thus, making it
hazardous for human use.
 8. Read the following and answer the questions:

India’s rivers, especially the smaller ones, have all turned into toxic streams. And even
the big ones like the Ganga and Yamuna are far from being pure. The assault on India’s
rivers – from population growth, agricultural modernisation, urbanisation and
industrialisation – is enormous and growing by the day….. This entire life stands
threatened. Source: The Citizens’ Fifth Report, CSE, 1999.

i. Why have the rivers turned into a toxic stream?

Effluents from agricultural fields and industries.

ii. Why does our life stand threatened due to water pollution?
Clean water is required for survival.

9. What is the need for conservation of water? (3)

• The need of the hour is to conserve and manage our water resources, to
safeguard ourselves from health hazards, to ensure food security,
continuation of our livelihoods and productive activities and also to prevent
degradation of our natural ecosystems.
• Over exploitation and mismanagement of water resources will impoverish this
resource and cause ecological crisis that may have profound impact on our lives.

ACTIVITY
10. From your everyday experiences, write a short proposal on how you can conserve water.
• Repair of leaking taps
• Washing the car with a wet cloth instead of a pipe
• Closing the tap when not required.
• Rain water harvesting on rooftops

MULTI-PURPOSE RIVER PROJECTS AND INTEGRATED WATER

RESOURCES MANAGEMENT

11. What was the ancient wisdom regarding water conservation? (5)
Archaeological and historical records show that from ancient times we have been
constructing sophisticated hydraulic structures like dams built of stone rubble,
reservoirs or lakes, embankments and canals for irrigation. Not surprisingly, we have
continued this tradition in modern India by building dams in most of our river basins.

Hydraulic Structures in Ancient India

• In the first century B.C., Sringaverapura near Allahabad had sophisticated water
harvesting system channelling the flood water of the river Ganga.
• During the time of Chandragupta Maurya, dams, lakes and irrigation systems
were extensively built.
 • Evidences of sophisticated irrigation works have also been found in Kalinga,
(Odisha), Nagarjunakonda (Andhra Pradesh), Bennur (Karnataka),
Kolhapur (Maharashtra), etc.
• In the 11th Century, Bhopal Lake, one of the largest artificial lakes of its time
was built.
• In the 14th Century, the tank in Hauz Khas, Delhi was constructed by Iltutmish
for supplying water to Siri Fort area.

12. Name the tank built by Iltutmish in Delhi for supplying water to the Sri Fort area. (1)
Hauz Khas

13. What is a dam? (1)

A dam is a barrier across flowing water that obstructs, directs or retards the flow,
often creating a reservoir, lake or impoundment.
“Dam” refers to the reservoir rather than the structure.
Most dams have a section called a spillway or weir over which or through which it is
intended that water will flow either intermittently or continuously.

14. Classify dams on the basis of their structure, material used and height. (Box)
Dams are classified according to structure, intended purpose or height.

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 or alternatively as low dams, medium height dams
and high dams.

15. What are multi-purpose projects and why are they so called? (3) **
• Dams were traditionally built to impound rivers and rainwater that could be used
later to irrigate agricultural fields.
• Today, dams are built not just for irrigation but for electricity generation, water
supply for domestic and industrial uses, flood control, recreation, inland
navigation and fish breeding.
• Hence, dams are now referred to as multi-purpose projects where the many uses
of the impounded water are integrated with one another.
• For example, in the Sutluj-Beas river basin, the Bhakra – Nangal project water
is being used both for hydel power production and irrigation. Similarly, the
Hirakud project in the Mahanadi basin integrates conservation of water with
flood control.

16. Who proclaimed dams as ‘Temples of Modern India’ and why? (3)
• Multi-purpose projects, launched after Independence with their integrated water
resources management approach, were thought of as the vehicle that would lead
 the nation to development and progress, overcoming the handicap the nation
to development and progress, overcoming the handicap of its colonial past.
• Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru proudly proclaimed the dams as the ‘temples of modern
India’; the reason being that it would integrate development of agriculture and
the village economy with rapid industrialisation and growth of the urban
economy.

17. Give the advantages of multipurpose river valley projects. (3) **

• irrigation
• electricity generation
• water supply for domestic
• industrial uses
• flood control
• recreation
• inland navigation
• fish breeding

18. Give the disadvantages of multi-purpose river valley projects. (5)**

In recent years, multi-purpose projects and large dams have come under great scrutiny
and opposition for a variety of reasons.
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 rivers’ aquatic life.
2. Dams also fragment rivers making it difficult for aquatic fauna to migrate,
especially for spawning.
3. The reservoirs that are created on the floodplains also submerge the existing
vegetation and soil leading to its decomposition over a period of time.
4. 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
displacement 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 nation.
5. 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.
6. At the same time, it has transformed the social landscape i.e. increasing the social
gap between the richer landowners and the landless poor. As we can see, the dams
did create conflicts between people wanting different uses and benefits from the same
water resources.
7. 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.
 Other disadvantages
• Most of the objections to the projects arose due to their failure to achieve the
purposes for which they were built. Ironically, the dams that were constructed to
control floods have triggered floods due to sedimentation in the reservoir.
• Moreover, the big dams have mostly been unsuccessful in controlling floods at the
time of excessive rainfall. You may have seen or read how the release of water from
dams during heavy rains aggravated the flood situation in Maharashtra and Gujarat in
2006.
• The floods have not only devastated life and property but also caused extensive soil
erosion.
• Sedimentation also meant that the flood plains were deprived of silt, a natural
fertiliser, further adding on to the problem of land degradation.
• It was also observed that the multi-purpose projects induced earthquakes, caused
water-borne diseases and pests and pollution resulting from excessive use of
water.

19. Explain how multi-purpose projects and large dams have been the cause of many new
social movements.
• 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
displacement 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 nation.
• So, if the local people are not benefiting from such projects then who is
benefited? Perhaps, the landowners and large farmers, industrialists and few urban
centres.

river

20. Read the paragraph given below and answer the questions:

Narmada Bachao Andolan or Save Narmada Movement is a Non-Governmental

Organisation (NGO) that mobilised tribal people, farmers, environmentalists and human
rights activists against the Sardar Sarovar Dam being built across the Narmada river in
Gujarat. It originally focused on the environmental issues related to trees that would be
submerged under the dam water. Recently it has re-focused the aim to enable poor
citizens, especially the oustees (displaced people) to get full rehabilitation facilities from
the government. People felt that their suffering would not be in vain… accepted the
trauma of displacement believing in the promise of irrigated fields and plentiful harvests.
So, often the survivors of Rihand told us that they accepted their sufferings as sacrifice
for the sake of their nation. But now, after thirty bitter years of being adrift, their
livelihood having even being more precarious, they keep asking: “Are we the only ones
chosen to make sacrifices for the nation?”
 21.1 Why are the supporters of the Narmada Bachao Andolan against the building the
building of the Sardar Sarovar Dam?
Ans: Trees that would be submerged under the dam water.
21.2 What is the aim of the Narmada Bachao Andolan?
21.3 Why are the survivors of the Rihand dam regrding the previous thirty years as bitter?

21. Read the paragraph given below and answer the questions:

Sardar Sarovar Dam has been built over the Narmada River in Gujarat. This is one of the
largest water resource projects of India covering four states—Maharashtra, Madhya
Pradesh, Gujarat and Rajasthan. The Sardar Sarovar project would meet the requirement
of water in drought-prone and desert areas of Gujarat (9,490 villages and 173 towns) and
Rajasthan (124 villages).

22.1 Inspite of the meeting the requirements of water in Gujarat and Rajasthan, why did
the building Sardar Sarovar dam face opposition?

Displacement of people.
Trees that would be submerged under the dam water.

22. Read the paragraph given below and answer the questions:
Do you know that the Krishna-Godavari dispute is due to the objections raised by
Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh governments? It is regarding the diversion of more water
at Koyna by the Maharashtra government for a multipurpose project. This would reduce
downstream flow in their states with adverse consequences for agriculture and industry

23.1 Why are the governments of Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh raising objections
against the Maharashtra Government for the Koyna Dam?

RAIN WATER HARVESTING

23. With the help of examples explain the extraordinary tradition of water harvesting system
that existed in ancient India. (5)

In ancient India, along with the sophisticated hydraulic structures, there existed an
extraordinary tradition of water-harvesting system. People had in-depth knowledge of
rainfall regimes and soil types and developed wide ranging techniques to harvest
rainwater, groundwater, river water and flood water in keeping with the local ecological
conditions and their water needs.
• In hill and mountainous regions, people built diversion channels like the ‘guls’ or
‘kuls’ of the Western Himalayas for agriculture.
• ‘Rooftop rainwater harvesting’ was commonly practised to store drinking
water, particularly in Rajasthan.
 • In the flood plains of Bengal, people developed inundation channels to irrigate
their fields.
• In arid and semi-arid regions, 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.

24. What is rainwater harvesting? (3)

The process of collecting rainwater during the rainy season to meet the fresh water
requirements in the dry season.

• Rooftop rainwater is collected using a PVC pipe

• Filtered using sand and bricks
• Underground pipe takes water to sump for immediate usage
• Excess water from the sump is taken to the well
• Water from the well recharges the underground
• Take water from the well (later)

25. Discuss how rainwater harvesting in semi-arid regions of Rajasthan is carried out. (5) Q3
(i)
• In the semi-arid and arid regions of Rajasthan, particularly in Bikaner, Phalodi
and Barmer, almost all the houses traditionally had underground tanks or tankas
for storing drinking water.
• The tanks could be as large as a big room; one household in Phalodi had a tank
that was 6.1 metres deep, 4.27 metres long and 2.44 metres wide.
• The tankas were part of the well-developed rooftop rainwater harvesting system
and were built inside the main house or the courtyard.
• They were connected to the sloping roofs of the houses through a pipe.
• Rain falling on the rooftops would travel down the pipe and was stored in
these underground ‘tankas’.
• The first spell of rain was usually not collected as this would clean the roofs and
the pipes. The rainwater from the subsequent showers was then collected.
• The rainwater can be stored in the tankas till the next rainfall making it an
extremely reliable source of drinking water when all other sources are dried up,
particularly in the summers.
• Rainwater, or palar pani, as commonly referred to in these parts, is considered the
purest form of natural water.
• Many houses constructed underground rooms adjoining the ‘tanka’ to beat
the summer heat as it would keep the room cool.

26. Describe how modern adaptations of traditional rainwater harvesting methods are being
carried out to conserve and store water. (5) Q3 (ii)
• Today, in western Rajasthan, sadly the practice of rooftop rainwater harvesting
is on the decline as plenty of water is available due to the perennial Indira
Gandhi Canal, though some houses still maintain the tankas since they do not
like the taste of tap water.
 • Fortunately, in many parts of rural and urban India, rooftop rainwater harvesting
is being successfully adapted to store and conserve water.
• In Gendathur, a remote backward village in Mysuru, Karnataka, villagers have
installed, in their household’s 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.
• See Fig. 3.6 for a better understanding of the rooftop rainwater harvesting system
which is adapted here. Gendathur receives an annual precipitation of 1,000 mm,
and with 80 per cent 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.

27. Read the paragraph given below and answer the questions:
Rooftop rainwater harvesting is the most common practice in Shillong, Meghalaya. It is
interesting because Cherapunjee and Mawsynram situated at a distance of 55 km. from
Shillong receive the highest rainfall in the world, yet the state capital Shillong faces acute
shortage of water. Nearly every household in the city has a rooftop rainwater harvesting
structure. Nearly 15-25 per cent of the total water requirement of the household comes
from rooftop water harvesting.

28.1 Cherapunjee and Mawsynram situated at a distance of 55 km. from Shillong receive
the highest rainfall in the world, yet the state capital Shillong faces acute shortage of
water. Why?
Type of topography that causes rapid runoff during rain. Traditionally no culture of rain
water harvesting here.

ACTIVITY
28. Find out other rainwater harvesting systems existing in and around your locality.
Modern School has a rainwater harvesting structure.

29. What is Gendathur renowned for? (3)

• In Gendathur, a remote backward village in Mysuru, Karnataka, villagers have
installed, in their household’s 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 per cent 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.

30. Explain Bamboo Drip Irrigation system. (5)

 • In Meghalaya, a 200-year-old system of tapping stream and spring water by using
bamboo pipes, is prevalent.
• 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.
• Bamboo pipes are used to divert perennial springs on the hilltops to the lower reaches
by gravity.
• The channel sections, made of bamboo, divert water to the plant site where it is
distributed into branches, again made and laid out with different forms of bamboo
pipes.
• The flow of water into the pipes is controlled by manipulating the pipe positions.
• If the pipes pass a road, they are taken high above the land.
• Reduced channel sections and diversion units are used at the last stage of water
application. The last channel section enables water to be dropped near the roots of the
plant.

Back Exercises
1. Multiple choice questions.

(i) Based on the information given below classify each of the situations as ‘suffering
from water scarcity’ or ‘not suffering from water scarcity’.

(a) Region with high annual rainfall- not suffering from water scarcity
(b) Region having high annual rainfall and large population- not suffering from water
scarcity
(c) Region having high annual rainfall but water is highly polluted- suffering from
water scarcity
(d) Region having low rainfall and low population- suffering from water scarcity e.g.
Rajasthan

(ii) Which one of the following statements is not an argument in favour of

multipurpose river projects?

(a) Multi-purpose projects bring water to those areas which suffer from water
scarcity.
(b) Multi-purpose projects by regulating water flow helps to control floods.
(c) Multi-purpose projects lead to large scale displacements and loss of
livelihood.
(d) Multi-purpose projects generate electricity for our industries and our homes.

(iii) Here are some false statements. Identify the mistakes and rewrite them correctly.

(a) Multiplying urban centres with large and dense populations and urban lifestyles
have helped in proper utilisation of water resources.
 Ans. Multiplying urban centres with large and dense populations and urban
lifestyles have led to over utilisation of water resources.

(b) Regulating and damming of rivers does not affect the river’s natural flow and its
sediment flow.

Ans. Regulating and damming of rivers does affect the river’s natural flow and its
sediment flow.

(c) In Gujarat, the Sabarmati basin farmers were not agitated when higher priority
was given to water supply in urban areas, particularly during droughts.

Ans. In Gujarat, the Sabarmati basin farmers were agitated when higher priority
was given to water supply in urban areas, particularly during droughts.

(d) Today in Rajasthan, the practice of rooftop rainwater water harvesting has gained
popularity despite high water availability due to the Indira Gandhi Canal.

Ans. Today in Rajasthan, the practice of rooftop rainwater water harvesting has
declined popularity despite high water availability due to the Indira Gandhi
Canal.

Map Work:
On the Political outline map of India locate and label the following:

Dams:
1. Salal
2. Bhakra Nangal
3. Tehri
4. Rana Pratap Sagar
5. Sardar Sarovar
6. Hirakud
7. Nagarjuna Sagar
8. Tungabhadra