Water resource

2023

Give a reason for each of the following:

(a) Agriculture sector in India needs the support of irrigation:

 Uncertainty of Monsoon rainfall- sometimes it arrives early and at times it comes late. Time
of withdrawal of monsoon rainfall is also uncertain.
 Uneven distribution of monsoon rainfall – Western Ghats and north eastern India receives
more than 250 cm rainfall, northern plains and parts of peninsula plateau receive 100 cm -
200cm of rainfall whereas parts of Rajasthan, Gujarat, Punjab, Haryana receive less 50 cm.
This inadequacy of rainfall has to be met by irrigation.
 Rainfall in India is seasonal. Most parts of the country receive 80 percent of the annual
rainfall from June to September from the South West monsoon. Hence irrigation is required
for Rabi crop (winter crop) cultivation.
(b) Well irrigation is a popular means of irrigation in Northern India.
 Plenty of groundwater is available and the depth of the water table does not exceed 15 m.
 Owing to the soft nature of the soil, wells can be easily dug.
 Due to presence of fertile alluvial soil yield of crops from the land after irrigation is
considerably high.
(c) Distinguish between Inundation canal and Perennial canal
 Inundation canals are taken out directly from the rivers without constructing any barrage or
dam. Such canals use the excess water of rivers at the time of floods and remain operational
during rainy season.
 Perennial canals are taken out from the perennial rivers by constructing barrages or dams to
regulate the flow of water. They can draw water throughout the water and can irrigate large
areas.
(d) Where in India is Tank Irrigation most widely used?
 Tank irrigation is mostly practiced in South India in the states of Andhra Pradesh, Telangana
and Tamil Nadu.
(e) Give one factor that has led to its popularity in the region mentioned by you in question (d).
 Hard rocks underlying large areas in the Peninsular plateau (South India) do not allow
percolation of water easily.
 The undulating surface of the Peninsular plateau forms natural depression where water can
be stored by constructing dams.
(f) Mention one advantage of using tank as a means of irrigation.
 Rainfall is highly seasonal in peninsular plateau region, storing the abundant rain water in
the tanks is useful that would otherwise flow out and go waste.
(g) What is Rainwater harvesting?
 Rainwater harvesting is the process of increasing the recharge of groundwater by capturing
and storing rainwater locally in the sub-surface reservoirs.

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 (h) Give two ways in which Rainwater Harvesting is important for India.
 Meets the ever increasing demand for water due increase in population.
 Reduces the surface run-off and soil erosion, thereby avoiding flood.
 Augments ground water storage and raise the water table.
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2018

There is plenty of rain in India during the rainy season, yet we need irrigation. Give 2 reasons to
support this statement.

 Monsoon rain is uncertain and is unevenly distributed.

 Annual crops like sugarcane need plenty of water throughout the growing period.
 Crops like rice need plenty of water.
 Rainfall in India is seasonal, hence for growing Rabi crops irrigation is required.

Name three traditional means of irrigation.

 Surface wells
 Inundation canals
 Tanks

Traditional methods of rain water harvesting are:

 Zohad
 Kund
 Bauli / Zing

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

 Cheap to construct
 Easy to operate
 Easily accessible to farmers

Differentiate between surface water and ground water

Surface water – Water available in lakes, ponds, rivers and streams.

Ground water – A part of the rain water percolates down and gets stored in the soil layer and
underground rocks as ground water.

Mention two reason why we are facing water scarcity in recent times.

We face water scarcity as - a lot of water is either wasted or polluted, therefore demand for pure
potable water is more than its supply;
- increase in demand of water due to increase in population ;

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- increase in demand of irrigation water due to Green Revolution ;
- increase in demand of water due to rapid industrialization & urbanization; -
-depletion of ground water ;
-deforestation & lack of watershed management .

What is rain water harvesting ? Rain water harvesting is the technique of capturing & storing rainwater
locally in sub surface water reservoirs by using different methods like rain water harvesting, recharge of
ground water &water shed management.

What are the advantages of rain water harvesting? – meets the ever increasing demand of water due
to increase in population & agricultural activities ; -increases ground water storage & raises water table;
-reduces groundwater pollution & improves the quality of groundwater; -reduces surface run off & soil
erosion; - supplement domestic water requirement during summer &drought.

Name two water harvesting systems practiced in India.

Rain water is locally stored in subsurface reservoir or groundwater aquifers through roof water
harvesting; - recharging hand pumps; - recharge through abandoned dug well; - recharge through
trenches & bunds and stop dams on small rivulets.
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2017

Give the significance of irrigation in: (i) Punjab, (ii) Rajasthan.

Punjab -receives seasonal rainfall, therefore irrigation is required for Rabi crop cultivation; -rainfall in
Punjab is uncertain and varies from year to year and place to place ; - Punjab has fertile soil but low
rainfall; - Green Revolution.
Rajasthan – scanty seasonal rainfall; -western Rajasthan receives less than 25 cm rainfall.

Name a state where: (i) Tube wells are common –Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan,
West Bengal. (ii) Tank irrigation is popular –Andhra Pradesh/ Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka.

Give one Geographical reason for each of the following:

(i) Sprinkler irrigation is practiced in arid & semi arid regions. – water is supplied through pipes, so
there is no loss of water due to seepage & evaporation, the entire water is consumed to irrigate crops ;
- economical , -supports water conservation,- even distribution of water.
(ii)A tube well should be installed in a fertile and productive region. - so that the cost of construction
and operation of the tube well may be recovered from increased farm production. –a tube well is a
perennial source of pollution free water & can be installed in the farming area as it occupies less space.
(iii) Canal irrigation is more suitable in the Northern Plains. - Perennial rivers in the Northern Plains
supply water; - plain surface & soft soil of the Northern Plains make construction of canals easy.
Study the diagram below & answer the questions that follows:- (i) Name the activity shown in the
diagram - Roof top rain water harvesting ; recharge groundwater through hand pump;
(ii) Give two objectives of the activity named - to meet the increasing demand of water of the

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increasing population ; - to reduce surface run off & soil erosion; - to raise the groundwater level; - to
reduce ground water pollution & improve the quality of ground water;

2016

“Without irrigation, development of agriculture is difficult in India.” Clarify the statement by giving
two reasons. - In India, rainfall is seasonal, occurs mainly in four months; -monsoon rainfall is unevenly
distributed ; - some crops like rice & sugarcane need more water; - to cater to increasing demand of
food & cash crops, there is a need to grow crops all the year round .

Mention two factors which are essential for the development of tube well irrigation. – Large amount
of groundwater should be available; -depth of groundwater should not be more than 15m; - soil
should be soft for boring holes ; - cheap electricity should be available ; - agricultural land should be
fertile so that cost of construction & operation of tube well can be recovered from increased farm
production.

Give one reason for each of the following: (i) The Northern Plain of India is found suitable for canal
irrigation. – Perennial rivers of the Northern Plain supplies water throughout the year; - the land is flat
& soft enough for canal construction ; - fertile alluvial soil of the northern plain

(ii) Tank irrigation is an important method of irrigation in Karnataka. - Karnataka ,located in the
Deccan Plateau (peninsular plateau) has undulating surface which forms natural depressions for storing
rain water; - Karnataka (south India) lacks ground water as the underlying rocks are hard & impervious;
- underlying hard rock make construction of wells & canals difficult; - Peninsular rivers are seasonal but
carry abundant water during the rainy season which can be easily stored in tanks & used during dry
season.

(iii)Although expensive, yet, sprinkler irrigation is gaining popularity in recent times. -

There is no wastage of water due to seepage & evaporation, hence it helps to conserve water.

What is Rain water harvesting? Its objectives. (Refer to advantages of rainwater harvesting)
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2015

State two reasons why irrigation is important to a country like India.

Irrigation is required as -monsoon rainfall is erratic & unevenly distributed; - monsoon rainfall is
seasonal hence irrigation is required to grow crops throughout the year; - some crops like rice ,jute,
sugarcane require more water than provided by rain; - irrigation is required to increase agricultural
output by providing the right amount of water at the right time -HYV seeds require more water.
Name two modern methods of irrigation. State one important reason for their growing popularity.
Drip irrigation, spray irrigation, & sprinkler irrigation.
Reasons- they prevent wastage of water /perennial supply of water /provide right amount of water at
the right time / no water logging & soil erosion.

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State two reasons why is well irrigation still a popular means of irrigation. –simplest & cheapest
source of irrigation / easy to construct / an independent source of irrigation & can be used as & when
necessity arises / occupies a small place & can be dug at any convenient place.
State the significance of rain water harvesting.
Give two reasons why is the world in danger of facing a severe water shortage in the coming future.
Severe shortage of water due to overuse & wastage / pollution / increase in demand of water due to
increase in population / rapid industrialization & urbanization.
State one measure the Government should adopt to handle the present water crisis. Make rain
water harvesting mandatory in every housing colony / levy fine on wastage of water / make laws to
ensure water is recycled in factories.
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2014

State two reasons why tank irrigation is popular in South India . (2016)
Mention two advantages that surface well has over inundation canals. – surface wells rely on ground
water & not on rivers to flood; / wells can be dug anywhere on the farm & the farm will get water even
if it is not close to the river ;/ wells are simplest & cheapest source of irrigation & poor farmers can
afford it, but construction of canals is expensive./well is an independent source of irrigation, on the
other hand canal irrigation is controlled by other agencies.

Give one geographical reason for the followings : (i)Irrigation is necessary despite the monsoon.
(ii)The drip method of irrigation is the best among all modern methods of irrigation - No loss of water
through wastage ; / judicious use of water with no wastage ; / the flow of water can be customized so as
to be beneficial to each crop. (iii) Canal irrigation leads to the ground around it becoming
unproductive. –percolation of water through the canals can raise the level of groundwater table &
lead to the formation of swamps. / alkaline salts from water table below can reach the surface & make
the soil unproductive. / due to water logging the capacity of the soil to absorb water decreases &
accumulation of ruins the crops.

Give three reasons for conservation of water resources. –The growth of population has led to scarcity
of water. / deforestation has led to drought & reduction of rainfall / over use of ground water has
lowered the water table / pollution of both ground water & surface water.
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2013

Name two states in which tube wells are extensively used. Give a reason to explain its importance as a
source of irrigation.
Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Punjab, Haryana, West Bengal.
Perennial source of water; /occupies less space & suitable for small holdings ; / water contains minerals;
/ water is not polluted.
Give two reasons for water scarcity in India Due to rapid growth of population, demand of water has
increased; / increase in demand of irrigation water due to increase in population; / rapid growth of

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indusdries & urbanization; /pollution & wastage of water ;/ uneven distribution of rain .
Name two states where perennial canals are widely used . Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan.
Briefly explain two reasons for perennial canals being a popular form of irrigation in the named states.
Presence of a large number of perennial rivers ; / ground is flat & soft that makes construction
of canals easy ; / deep fertile alluvial soil.

Name two methods of rain water harvesting in India. Roof water harvesting, construction of tanks,
5ponds & check dams, recharging hand pumps, construction of percolation pits & trenches around fields
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2019

Give two reasons to justify why the modern means of irrigation are gaining popularity.

No loss of water due to leakage & evaporation , hence help to conserve water ; - perennial supply of
water hence suitable in areas of low rainfall ; - causes no water logging & soil erosion ; - provides the
right amount of water at the right time ; - water is evenly distributed ; - highly efficient & can irrigate
large area.

Mention two factors that favour the development of tube well irrigation in Punjab.

There is plentiful supply of ground water & water table is high ; - level land & soft soil make digging of
tube wells easy ; - there is regular supply of cheap electricity ; - Soil in Punjab is fertile & productive
hence cost of construction & operation of tube well can be recovered from increased farm production.

Give a reason for each of the following : (i) Most of the South Indian states are not suitable for
development of canal irrigation.

Uneven /undulating & rugged terrain of South India are not suitable for construction of canals ; -
underlying hard rocks of South India make construction of canals difficult ; - rivers of South India are
seasonal hence fail to provide water to the canals throughout the year.

(ii) There is an urgent need for water conservation in India.

There is shortage of water due to – (i) increasing demand of water due to rapid increase in population;
(ii) rapid industrialization and increase in demand of irrigation water ; (iii) water pollution;
(iv) lowering of water table due to over exploitation of underground water ; (v) uneven distribution of
rainfall and reduction of rainfall due to deforestation ; (vi) to reduce water scarcity.

(iii) Development of irrigation is essential for the growth of the agricultural sector.
India receives most of its rainfall from the Monsoons and monsoon rainfall is unevenly distributed,
seasonal and uncertain and only irrigation can provide security to agriculture. / - To cater to the
increasing demand for food and cash crops there is need to grow crops all the year round. But greater
part of India has dry winter. Irrigation allows year long cultivation. / - Some crops like rice , sugarcane ,
jute require large quantities of water and hence cultivation of these crops are possible through irrigation

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only. / - crops grown from high yielding variety seeds to increase farm production, require regular supply
of water and irrigation is necessary if rainfall is not sufficient.

Briefly explain the following terms: (i) Inundation Canals – The Canals that are directly taken from
rivers without constructing any regulating system like a weir or a barrage at their head. Such canals are
filled with water only during floods and remain operational only during the rainy season.

(ii)Rooftop rainwater harvesting - Rain water is collected on roof tops and the water collected is
channelized through pipes into underground pits, wells etc.

(iii) Surface water – Water found on the surface of the earth like in rivers , lakes, ponds etc.

Well Irrigation

What are wells?

A small hole dug in the earth to obtain water from the subsoil for irrigation and other purposes.

What are the conditions that favour digging a well ? (factors) (2016)

What are the advantages of surface well irrigation ? (2015)

What are the disadvantages / drawbacks of surface or ordinary well irrigation?

- Surface wells are not deep enough and dry up in dry summer.
– Can irrigate only small area (1-2hectares).
–Water raised by manual labour is time consuming.
– Sometimes water is brackish (saline) in nature.

What are the different method used to lift water from ordinary wells?

Persian wheel – chakras ; Lever ; Inclined plane –mhote ; Rehat ;Picottah ; Dhenkali;

What is a tube well? A tube well is borewell, dug deep, over 15m, in the ground with the help of a
drilling machine. The water is pumped out usually with the help of electric / diesel motor.

Why is tube well useful during drought condition?

Tube well is usually over 15m deep that is, it is drilled up to permanent water table, hence provide water
during droughts when the surface wells dry up.

What are the advantages tube wells over surface wells ?

Reliable and useful during drought conditions when surface wells dry up ,as they are drilled upto the
permanent water table, hence perennial.
Can irrigate larger area (over 400 hectares) as compared to surface wells (1to 2 hectares), as it is easier
to raise large amount of water in a short time period with electric motor.

What are the disadvantages of tube wells over ordinary surface wells?

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Expensive to construct and the farmer has to spend money regularly on electricity.

Large scale depletion of ground water.

Name the states where well /tube well irrigation is popular.(2013)

Tank Irrigation

How is tank irrigation done?

Tank irrigation is done by building earthen / stone embankments or masonry walls across natural
depressions or streams to collect rain or flood water, which is then led through narrow channels to the
cultivated fields.

Name the states where Tank Irrigation is popular?(2017)

Andhra Pradesh and Telangana together has largest area under Tank Irrigation.

Why is tank irrigation popular in peninsular plateau region or South India?(2016, 2014)

What are the advantages of Tank Irrigation?

Simple and cheap to build by constructing embankment around the natural pits and depressions.
Though the rivers of South India are seasonal, they carry abundant water during the rainy season that
can be easily stored in tanks.
Underlying hard impervious rocks do not allow seepage / percolation of water, hence rain water can
easily be stored in natural depressions.

What are the disadvantages of Tank Irrigation? / Why area under Tank Irrigation is decreasing?

Tanks are seasonal and dry up in summer.

Occupy large area which could be used for farming.
Tanks are shallow thus a large amount of water is wasted through evaporation or sometimes percolate
underground.
Silting of tanks is a problem.

Canal Irrigation

Inundation Canals –(2019)

Perennial Canals are taken out from perennial rivers by constructing barrages or dams to regulate the
flow of water. They supply water throughout the year and irrigate large area.

Why are inundation canals converted to perennial canals?

Inundation canals are useful only during floods and can irrigate only low lying areas .Thus there is
uncertainty of water supply. On the other hand, Perennial Canals serve throughout the year as they
draw water from reservoirs built behind dams across perennial rivers .

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Advantages of Canal Irrigation – Perennial canals provide water for irrigation whenever needed.
Canal water is rich in sediments brought down by rivers. These sediments add fertility to the fields.
Although initial costs are high, canal irrigation is quite cheap in the long run.

Disadvantages of Canal Irrigation – In case of unlined canals, water seeps through the soil and raises the
water table which reaches the surface and causes water logging.
If the underground water that has reached the surface contains alkaline salts, the salt mixes with the soil
making it unproductive.
Name the states where perennial canals are widely used. (2013)
Explain the reasons for perennial canals being a popular form of irrigation in the states named
above. / What are the conditions required for construction of canals? / Why the Northern Plains of
India is found suitable for canal irrigation? (2013)

Mention the advantages of well irrigation over canal irrigation (2014)

Drawbacks of conventional methods of irrigation –

Wastage of large quantity of water.

Crops are subjected to cyclic changes of flooding and water stress situation.
Water logging in low lying areas.
Loss of effective agricultural land for making canals and channels.
Water logging has led to salt accumulation making fertile land unproductive.

Modern scientific methods of irrigation - prevent wastage of water, provide right quantity of water at
the right time , no water logging , no soil erosion, perennial supplier of water.

Furrow Irrigation – advantage - water is evenly distributed ; disadvantages – useful in areas where
abundant cheap water is available.

Spray Irrigation - advantages – efficient utilization of water, reduces water requirement &water
wastage . Disadvantages– expensive, requires complex machinery, loss of water due evaporation, plant
diseases due to presence of excess moisture.

Drip Irrigation - advantages –most modern & efficient method; reduces loss of water due to
evaporation as water is supplied to the crops by perforated pipes hence conserves irrigation water,
allows the farmers to customise an irrigation programme most beneficial to each crop.
Disadvantage – expensive as this system consists of perforated pipes that are placed in between rows of
crops.
Sprinkler Irrigation- advantages-no loss of water due to seepage & evaporation as water is supplied
directly to the field by pipes & sprayed by sprinklers. Disadvantages – expensive method ; suitable for
small plots of land ; suitable for those crops which require less water.
Sprinkler irrigation is practiced in arid & semi arid areas and hilly areas.

Tamil Nadu is one state which has made it mandatory to have rain water harvesting structure in every
house.

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Give a Geographical reason for each of the followings –

*Need for conserving water. – (i) Due to declining availability of freshwater as a result of
overexploitation of groundwater and lowering of water table, deforestation leading to reduction of
rainfall and pollution of water bodies and (ii) increase demand of water due to rapidly increasing
population, irrigation and industrialisation, we need to conserve water and manage our water
resources.

*Man is responsible for water crisis in India. – Over exploitation of groundwater, deforestation and
reduction in rainfall, pollution of water bodies and increase in demand of water due to increase in
population have led to water crisis in India.

*Groundwater reserves are depleting at a fast rate.- As tube wells can draw much larger quantity of
groundwater than ordinary surface wells, excessive use of tubewell water can lead to depletion of
groundwater.

*Well irrigation is confined mainly to the alluvial plain.- Alluvial soil is very fertile, hence cost of
construction and operation of tube wells can be recovered from increased farm production. Moreover
soft alluvial soil makes digging of tube wells easy.

*Drip irrigation reduces loss of water through evaporation. In drip irrigation perforated pipes are
placed between rows of crops or buried along their root lines and drip water slowly to the roots of
plants and minimize evaporation.

*Canal irrigation make the soil infertile. – In case of perennial unlined canals, the canal water soaks
through the soil and raises the groundwater level and the water table reaches the surface and make the
once cultivated soil completely waterlogged.

*Tube well irrigation is quite expensive. – It is expensive as it requires continuous supply of electricity.

*Many farmers in India still use wells.- Wells are simplest and cheapest source of irrigation and the
poor Indian farmer can easily afford it.

*The traditional wells dry up. – The traditional wells are not very deep and dry up when water table
lowers due to over withdrawal of groundwater.

*Modern means of irrigation are gaining popularity. – They are easy to operate and are perennial
sources of irrigation. Modern methods like Sprinkler, Drip, Furrow irrigation conserve water.

*Sprinkler irrigation helps in conserving water.-There is no loss of water by seepage because water is
supplied to the Sprinkler through pipes. Further, no water is wasted due to evaporation as water is
sprayed directly on the field by sprinklers.

*Spray irrigation is quite expensive. – Spray irrigation is expensive as it requires complex machinery.

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