Water Resources
Class 12 Geography · India People and Economy · Chapter 4
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Summary
Water is a cyclic resource that covers about 71 per cent of the earth, yet freshwater is only about 3 per cent of the total and very little is available for human use. India has about 4 per cent of the world's water resources but over 17 per cent of its population, so water scarcity is a major challenge. The total water from precipitation is about 4,000 cubic km a year, of which the utilisable resource is about 1,122 cubic km. Surface water comes from rivers, lakes, ponds and tanks, with the Ganga, Brahmaputra and Barak basins holding 60 per cent of surface water; replenishable groundwater is about 432 cubic km, heavily used in Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan and Tamil Nadu. Agriculture dominates water use, taking about 89 per cent of surface water and 92 per cent of groundwater, mainly for irrigation, which makes multiple cropping and the Green Revolution possible but has caused groundwater depletion and rising fluoride and arsenic levels. Emerging problems include falling per-capita availability and deterioration of water quality, with the Yamuna and Ganga among the most polluted rivers. Conservation and management require watershed development, rainwater harvesting, recycling and reuse, and prevention of pollution, supported by programmes and the National Water Policy. Success stories such as Ralegan Siddhi and traditional structures like the kund or tanka show the value of community participation.
Key terms
Utilisable water resource
The portion of available water that can actually be put to beneficial use, about 1,122 cubic km in India.
Groundwater
Replenishable underground water, about 432 cubic km in India, heavily used in north-western states.
Watershed management
The efficient management and conservation of surface and groundwater through recharge, runoff prevention and community participation.
Rainwater harvesting
A low-cost method to capture and store rainwater and recharge groundwater aquifers.
Water pollution
The deterioration of water quality by foreign substances such as industrial, agricultural and domestic effluents.
Recycle and reuse of water
Using lower-quality or reclaimed water for purposes like cooling and gardening to conserve freshwater.
Extra questions & answers
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Water is best described as a/an: