Water Resources — Class 10 Social Science
Geography — Contemporary India-II · Chapter 3
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Chapter summary
Key ideas & terms
- Water scarcity
- Shortage of usable water caused by over-use, pollution or unequal access.
- Multipurpose project
- A river-valley project that serves several purposes such as irrigation and power.
- Hydraulic structures
- Dams, embankments and channels built to store and manage water.
- Rainwater harvesting
- Collecting and storing rainwater for later use and to recharge groundwater.
- Tankas
- Underground tanks used to store rainwater in arid Rajasthan.
- Khadins
- Traditional rainwater harvesting structures in the arid west.
- Narmada Bachao Andolan
- A movement opposing large dams on the Narmada river.
- Dam
- A barrier across flowing water that stores it in a reservoir.
Extra questions & answers
Why does water scarcity occur even where water is available?
Because of over-exploitation, pollution of water bodies, and unequal access, which make usable water short despite overall availability.
What are the advantages of multipurpose river projects?
They provide irrigation, hydroelectric power, flood control, water supply, inland navigation and recreation.
Why do some people oppose large dams?
Dams displace local communities, submerge forests and farmland, harm aquatic life, and can trigger social conflicts and ecological problems.
What is rainwater harvesting?
A method of collecting and storing rainwater through structures such as tanks, rooftops, guls and khadins to meet needs and recharge groundwater.
Give two traditional rainwater harvesting methods used in India.
Rooftop rainwater harvesting with tankas in Rajasthan, and bamboo drip irrigation in Meghalaya; guls and kuls divert hill streams in the Himalayas.
Why does water scarcity occur even in areas with enough water?
Because of over-exploitation, pollution of water bodies and unequal access, which make usable water short despite its overall availability.
What are the advantages of multipurpose river projects?
They provide irrigation, hydroelectric power, flood control, water supply, inland navigation and recreation from a single project.
Why do some people oppose large dams?
Because dams displace local communities, submerge forests and farmland, harm aquatic life and can cause social and ecological conflicts.
What is rainwater harvesting?
The collecting and storing of rainwater through structures like tanks, rooftops, guls and khadins, to meet water needs and recharge groundwater.
Give two examples of traditional rainwater harvesting in India.
Rooftop harvesting with underground tankas in Rajasthan, and bamboo drip irrigation in Meghalaya; guls and kuls divert hill streams in the Himalayas.
Activity
From your everyday experiences, write a short proposal on how you can conserve water.
I propose conserving water by closing taps properly, repairing leaks, using a bucket instead of a shower or hose, and reusing water from washing vegetables for plants. Rooftop rainwater should be collected in tanks or directed into recharge pits. Schools and neighbourhoods should regularly check water use, prevent wastage and spread awareness that freshwater is limited.
Activity
Find out more about any one traditional method of building dams and irrigation works.
One traditional method was the construction of tanks to collect and store water. The tank at Hauz Khas in Delhi, built during the reign of Alauddin Khalji, stored water and supplied it to the Siri Fort area. Such tanks captured rainwater and surface runoff, providing a dependable supply for settlements and irrigation during dry periods.
Activity
Collect information about floods occurred in different parts of the country due to heavy rainfall in recent times.
Heavy rainfall can cause rivers and reservoirs to overflow, flooding settlements, fields and roads. The chapter gives the example of Kolkata, where a record overnight rainfall of 180
,
textmm flooded a vast area and disrupted traffic. Floods may destroy life and property, erode soil and spread water-borne diseases. Sedimentation in reservoirs can worsen flooding because it reduces their water-holding capacity.
Activity
Make a list of inter-state water disputes.
The chapter mentions the Krishna-Godavari water dispute involving Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra. Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh objected to Maharashtra diverting more water at Koyna for a multi-purpose project because this could reduce the downstream flow needed for agriculture and industry in their states.
Activity
Find out other rainwater harvesting systems existing in and around your locality.
Common local systems include rooftop rainwater harvesting, recharge pits, recharge wells and storage tanks. Rainwater from roofs is carried through pipes, filtered through sand and bricks, and then stored for use or directed into a well to recharge groundwater. In some places, ponds and small check dams are also used to collect surface runoff.
Activity
1. Collect information on how industries are polluting our water resources.
Industries pollute water resources by releasing untreated or poorly treated wastewater into rivers, lakes and drains. This wastewater may contain chemicals, oils, dyes and other harmful substances. Industrial activity also consumes large quantities of freshwater, while polluted discharge lowers water quality and can make the water unsafe for people, farming and aquatic life.
2. Enact with your classmates a scene of water dispute in your locality.
Resident 1: Our lane has received very little water today, but several houses are using pumps to draw more than their share. Resident 2: We also need water, but the supply is irregular and everyone is worried. Student representative: Let us stop using private pumps during supply hours and distribute water equally. Resident 1: We should also repair leaking pipes and report illegal connections. Resident 2: Agreed. We can form a local water committee, fix fair timings and promote rainwater harvesting so that such disputes are reduced.
EXERCISES
(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 necessarily suffering from water scarcity, provided the water is accessible, properly managed and unpolluted.
(i) Based on the information given below classify each of the situations as ‘suffering from water scarcity’ or ‘not suffering from water scarcity’. (b) Region having high annual rainfall and large population.
Suffering from water scarcity because a large population creates heavy demand and may cause excessive use and unequal access.
(i) Based on the information given below classify each of the situations as ‘suffering from water scarcity’ or ‘not suffering from water scarcity’. (c) Region having high annual rainfall but water is highly polluted.
Suffering from water scarcity because polluted water is unsafe and cannot be readily used.
(i) Based on the information given below classify each of the situations as ‘suffering from water scarcity’ or ‘not suffering from water scarcity’. (d) Region having low rainfall and low population.
Not necessarily suffering from water scarcity because the limited water may still be sufficient for the small population if it is conserved and managed carefully.
(ii) Which one of the following statements is not an argument in favour of multi-purpose 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.
(c) Multi-purpose projects lead to large scale displacements and loss of livelihood.
(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.
Multiplying urban centres with large and dense populations and urban lifestyles have increased water and energy requirements and led to the over-exploitation and depletion of water resources.
(iii) Here are some false statements. Identify the mistakes and rewrite them correctly. (b) Regulating and damming of rivers does not affect the river’s natural flow and its sediment flow.
Regulating and damming rivers affect their natural flow, cause poor sediment flow and lead to excessive sedimentation at the bottom of reservoirs.
(iii) Here are some false statements. Identify the mistakes and rewrite them correctly. (c) Today in Rajasthan, the practice of rooftop rainwater water harvesting has gained popularity despite high water availability due to the Indira Gandhi Canal.
Today in western Rajasthan, the practice of rooftop rainwater harvesting is declining because plenty of water is available from the perennial Indira Gandhi Canal, although some houses still maintain their tankas.
(i) Explain how water becomes a renewable resource.
Water is renewed through the hydrological cycle. Water evaporates, condenses into clouds and returns as precipitation. Surface runoff and groundwater are then replenished, allowing water to circulate continuously.
(ii) What is water scarcity and what are its main causes?
Water scarcity is the shortage of usable water needed by people. Its main causes are population growth, excessive irrigation, industrialisation, urbanisation, over-exploitation, unequal access, poor management and pollution of available water.
(iii) Compare the advantages and disadvantages of multi-purpose river projects.
Multi-purpose projects provide irrigation, hydroelectricity, domestic and industrial water, flood control, navigation, recreation and fish breeding. However, they displace communities, submerge vegetation and soil, disturb river flow and sediment movement, damage aquatic habitats, cause waterlogging and soil salinity, and may sometimes intensify floods.
(i) Discuss how rainwater harvesting in semi-arid regions of Rajasthan is carried out.
In the semi-arid and arid regions of Rajasthan, especially Bikaner, Phalodi and Barmer, houses traditionally had underground tanks called tankas. These were built inside the house or courtyard and connected to sloping rooftops by pipes. The first rainfall was allowed to wash the roof and pipes, while later showers were collected in the tankas. The stored rainwater, known as palar pani, remained available during the dry summer months and was valued as a pure source of drinking water. Agricultural fields were also shaped into rain-fed storage structures such as khadins and johads, which held runoff and allowed it to moisten the soil.
(ii) Describe how modern adaptations of traditional rainwater harvesting methods are being carried out to conserve and store water.
Traditional rainwater harvesting has been adapted through modern rooftop systems. Rainwater is carried from roofs through pipes, filtered with sand and bricks, and stored in sumps for immediate use. Excess water is directed into hand pumps, abandoned dugwells or recharge wells to replenish groundwater. In Gendathur, Karnataka, many households use rooftop systems to meet their water needs. Shillong also obtains part of its household supply from rooftop harvesting, while Tamil Nadu has made such structures compulsory for houses. These adaptations combine traditional collection methods with modern pipes, filters and recharge structures.