Water resources engineering involves managing water as a natural resource by supplying water for human use, removing water after use, and mitigating flood hazards. This includes planning and managing facilities like water treatment plants. Graduates with a specialization in water resources engineering can work for engineering firms or government agencies responsible for water supply or flood control. Water is a scarce resource due to limited availability and growing demand from population growth, urbanization, and industrialization. Water resources engineers work to ensure adequate, safe water supplies for human and industrial needs while protecting aquatic ecosystems.
Water resources engineering involves managing water as a natural resource by supplying water for human use, removing water after use, and mitigating flood hazards. This includes planning and managing facilities like water treatment plants. Graduates with a specialization in water resources engineering can work for engineering firms or government agencies responsible for water supply or flood control. Water is a scarce resource due to limited availability and growing demand from population growth, urbanization, and industrialization. Water resources engineers work to ensure adequate, safe water supplies for human and industrial needs while protecting aquatic ecosystems.
Water resources engineering involves managing water as a natural resource by supplying water for human use, removing water after use, and mitigating flood hazards. This includes planning and managing facilities like water treatment plants. Graduates with a specialization in water resources engineering can work for engineering firms or government agencies responsible for water supply or flood control. Water is a scarce resource due to limited availability and growing demand from population growth, urbanization, and industrialization. Water resources engineers work to ensure adequate, safe water supplies for human and industrial needs while protecting aquatic ecosystems.
Water resources engineering is a branch of civil engineering which has its
roots in the tasks of supplying water for human use, it is concerned with the collection and management of water (as a natural resource), removing water when humans are finished using it, and developing methods of avoiding damage from excess water (floods). Much of the work of water resource engineers involves the planning and management of constructed facilities that address these tasks. Positions for undergraduates and graduates who specialize in water resources engineering can be found in both engineering consulting firms and in government entities charged with supplying water or dealing with its hazards. Water as a Natural Resource EARTH - The blue planet There are more than 326 million trillion gallons of water on Earth. Less than 3 % of all this water is fresh water and of that amount, more than two-thirds is locked up in ice caps and glaciers. With so much water around it seems like there is enough to see us through for millions of years. But did you know that even water, which seems to be in abundance, might one day become scarce? A Scarce Resource Water Availability & Access The per capita availability of water in the country is 1545 cubic meters as per the 2011 census. The per capita water availability in the country is reducing progressively due to increase in population. The average annual per capita availability of water in the country, taking into consideration the population of the country as per the 2001 census, was 1816 cubic meters which reduced to 1545 cubic meters as per the 2011 census. Water availability in Canada & Alaska : 189 x 10 m per year per capita. (Highest water availabilityin this region across the world) Water availability in North-Africa : 0.21 x 10 m per year per capita. (Lowest water availability in this region across the world) Water Availability in India In several parts of the India, water is being used at a much faster rate than can be replenished by rainfall In 2025, the per capita water availability in India will be reduced to 1500 cubic meters from 5000 in 1950. Due to limited availability of water, but growing demand of water due to increasing population, urbanization and industrialization, India is facing water stress. In addition due to contamination of water sources and poor water treatment facility it is often difficult to get safe drinking water. DO YOU KNOW ??? We are all water creatures ; it makes up : 1. 60% of your body. 2. 70% of your brain. 3. 80% of your blood. Water Availability in Rajasthan The per capita annual water availability in the State is about 780 cubic meter (cum) against minimum requirement of 1000 cum. It is feared that the availability would fall below 450 cum by the year 2050. As per the international accepted norms, availability of water below 500 cum is considered as absolute water scarcity. Water Cycle The water cycle, also known as the hydrologic cycle or the H2O cycle, describes the continuous movement of water on, above and below the surface of the Earth. Although the balance of water on Earth remains fairly constant over time, individual water molecules can come and go, in and out of the atmosphere. The water moves from one reservoir to another, such as from river to ocean, or from the ocean to the atmosphere, by the physical processes of evaporation, condensation, precipitation, infiltration, runoff, and subsurface flow. In so doing, the water goes through different phases: liquid, solid(ice) and gas (vapour). The water cycle involves the exchange of energy, which leads to temperature changes ; For instance, when water evaporates, it takes up energy from its surroundings and cools the environment. When it condenses, it releases energy and warms the environment, these heat exchanges influence climate. By transferring water from one reservoir to another, the water cycle purifies water, replenishes the land with freshwater, and transports minerals to different parts of the globe. It is also involved in reshaping the geological features of the Earth, through such processes as erosion and sedimentation. Finally, the water cycle figures significantly in the maintenance of life and ecosystems. Processes 1. Precipitation : Condensed water vapor that falls to the Earth's surface, Most precipitation occurs as rain, but also includes snow, hail, fog drip and sleet. 2. Interception : The precipitation that is intercepted by plant foliage, eventually evaporates back to the atmosphere rather than falling to the ground. 3. Runoff : The variety of ways by which water moves across the land. This includes both surface runoff and channel runoff. 4. Infiltration : The flow of water from the ground surface into the ground. Once infiltrated, the water becomes soil moisture or groundwater. 5. Evaporation : The transformation of water from liquid to gas phases as it moves from the ground or bodies of water into the overlying atmosphere. Evaporation often includes transpiration from plants, though together they are specifically referred to as evapotranspiration. 6. Advection : The movement of water in solid, liquid, or vapor states through the atmosphere. 7. Transpiration : The release of water vapor from plants and soil into the air. 8. Percolation : Water flows horizontally through the soil and rocks under the influence of gravity. Water Quality Water quality refers to the chemical, physical and biological characteristics of water. It is a measure of the condition of water relative to the requirements of one or more biotic species and or to any human need or purpose. It is most frequently used by reference to a set of standards against which compliance can be assessed. The most common standards used to assess water quality relate to health of ecosystems, safety of human contact and drinking water. The parameters for water quality are determined by the intended use. Work in the area of water quality tends to be focused on water that is treated for : 1. human consumption 2. industrial use 3. in the ecological environment. Human Consumption Contaminants that may be in untreated water include microorganisms such as viruses, protozoa and bacteria; inorganic contaminants such as salts and metals; organic chemical contaminants from industrial processes and petroleum use; pesticides and herbicides; and radioactive contaminants. Water quality depends on the local geology and ecosystem, as well as human uses such as sewage dispersion, industrial pollution, use of water bodies as a heat sink, and overuse (which may lower the level of the water). Hydropower Hydroelectric facilities use the power of flowing water to turn turbines that produce electricity. Hydropower has come under scrutiny from environmentalists, but new technologies promise to increase the efficiency of power generation while simultaneously decreasing the impact of hydroelectricity on the environment. Irrigation Water for irrigation comes from either groundwater or surface water, raising concerns that heavy use could deplete water supplies in a region to the extent that non-agricultural users are negatively affected. Irrigation has also been linked to increased soil salinity and contamination of groundwater with fertilizers and chemicals through runoff. Navigation Navigable waterways are defined as watercourses that have been or may be used for transport of interstate or foreign commerce. Agricultural and commercial goods are moved on water on a large scale , making navigation an important economic concern. Federal regulations control construction, excavation and disposal in and around navigable waters. Navigation interests may come into direct conflict with other interests, including hydropower and wildlife conservation. Industrial Use Dissolved minerals may affect suitability of water for a range of industrial and domestic purposes. The most familiar of these is probably the presence of ions of calcium and magnesium which interfere with the cleaning action of soap, and can form hard sulfate and soft carbonate deposits in water heaters or boilers. Hard water may be softened to remove these ions , the softening process often substitutes sodium cations. Hard water may be preferable to soft water for human consumption, since health problems have been associated with excess sodium and with calcium and magnesium deficiencies. Softening decreases nutrition and may increase cleaning effectiveness. Ecological Water Quality Environmental water quality, also called ambient water quality, relates to water bodies such as lakes, rivers, and oceans. Water quality standards for surface waters vary significantly due to different environmental conditions, ecosystems, and intended human uses. Toxic substances and high populations of certain microorganisms can present a health hazard for non-drinking purposes such as irrigation, swimming, fishing, rafting, boating, and industrial uses. These conditions may also affect wildlife, which use the water for drinking or as a habitat. Modern water quality laws generally specify protection of fisheries and recreational use and require, as a minimum, retention of current quality standards. Rights & Issues Water crisis most glaring problem Available water within a region < Regions demand Term used by UN and other National Organizations To describe the availability of potable water in a region Become more and more piercing day by day Major Reasons Increase in Population Decrease in ground water level Daily water consumption increased many folds Misuse of Water Climate change Water management Pollution Summer Season and high temperature results in evaporation of water resources Population Population tripled- use of water resources become 6 fold By next 50 years world population will increase by 40- 50% Industrialization and urbanization - will result in an increasing demand for water Water Consumption Global consumption of water is doubling every 20 years More than one billion people on earth lack enough fresh water for drinking By the year 2025, the demand for freshwater is expected to rise to 50% Misuse of Water Increased industrial and urban water usage Reduction in the water available for agriculture in drought prone area Inequitable distribution of rainfall India - water security and providing sanitation is a problem in rural area Climate Change Reason-global warming Depleting supply of water Make rainfall more erratic and cause unpredictable weather Pollution Sewage disposal, industrial effluents, chemical fertilizers, pesticide. Underground wells violates the desired level of dissolved oxygen and coli form High concentrations of toxic metals, fluoride, and nitrates Surface Water Surface water is water collecting on the ground or in a stream, river, lake, wetland, or ocean; it is related to water collecting as groundwater or atmospheric water. Surface water is naturally replenished by precipitation and naturally lost through discharge to evaporation and sub-surface seepage into the ground. Although there are other sources of groundwater, such as connate water and magmatic water, precipitation is the major one and groundwater originated in this way is called meteoric water. Ground Water Groundwater is water located beneath the earth's surface in soil pore spaces and in the fractures of rock formations. Aunit of rock or an unconsolidated deposit is called an aquifer when it can yield a usable quantity of water. The depth at which soil pore spaces or fractures and voids in rock become completely saturated with water is called the water table. The study of the distribution and movement of groundwater is hydrogeology, also called groundwater hydrology. MULTIPURPOSE RIVER VALLEY PROJECT Amultipurpose river valley project includes the following aspects- 1. Irrigation 2. Water supply for public health and sanitation 3. Generation of hydro-electric power 4. Flood control and river training 5. Erosion and sediment control: soil conservation 6. Inland navigation 7. Fish culture 8. Recreation 9. Drainage Thank You !!