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GEOGRAPHY
CLASS X
CHAPTER 3
WATER RESOURCES
(summative assessment-1)
Q3 Why is the availability of water resources varies and time due to the variation in
seasonal and annual precepitation. over space and time?
Ans The availability of water resources varies over space
Q4 Why does an area suffer from water scarcity although water is available in ample
amount to meets the needs of people?
Ans Even if there is ample amount of water to meet the needs of the people much of it
may be polluted by domestic and industrial wastes chemicals , and, pesticides fertilizers
used in agriculture, thus making it hazardous for human use.
Q8What is a dam?
Ans 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 a reservoir rather than
structure.
Q9 Attempt the classification of dams on the basis of material used and height.
Ans Dams are classified according to material used and intended purpose or height
(A)On the basis of structure and the material used dams are classified-
(a)Timber dams (b)Embankment dams (c) Masonary dams
There are many subtypes of these dams
B) On the basis of height-
(a)Low dams (b) Medium dams (c) High dams
Q10 Who proclaimed the dams as the temples of modern India and why?
Ans Jawahar Lal Nehru proudly proclaimed the dams as temples of modern India, the
main reason being that it would integrate development of agriculture and the village
economy with rapid industrialization and growth of the urban economy.
Q11 Differentiate between traditional dams and multi purpose river valley dams.
Ans Traditional dams were 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. For example, Bhakhra Nangal project water is used for hydel power production
as well as for irrigation.
Q15 What was considered as viable alternative to the multipurpose projects and why?
Ans Water harvesting system was considered as a viable alternative to the
multipurpose projects because of
The disadvantages and rising resistance against the multipurpose projects
Water harvesting system is considered safe both socio- economically and
environmentally.
Q16 Discuss how rainwater harvesting is carried out in the semi-arid regions of
Rajasthan?
Ans In Rajasthan rainwater harvesting is carried out in the following ways-
JOHADS AND KHADINS
In arid and semi-arid regions, agricultural fields were converted into rainfed storage
structures that allowed the rainwater to stand and moisten the soil like the Khadins in
Jaisalmer and Johads in other parts of Rajasthan.
UNDERGROUND TANKS OR TANKAS
In the arid and semi-arid regions of, particulary in Bikaner , Phalodi and Barmer
,almost all the houses traditionally had underground tanks or tankas for storing
drinking drinking water.
The tankas could be as large as a big room;one house in Phalodi had a tank that
was 6.1 mts deep, 4.27mt long, 2.44mt wide.
The tankas were part of the well developed rooftop rainwater harvesting system
and were built inside the main house or in the courtyard They were connected to
to the sloping roof of the houses through a pipe. Rain falling on the roofs 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.
Many houses constructed underground rooms adjoining the tankas to beat the
summer heat as it would keep the room cool.
Q18 Why the practice of rooftop rainwater harvesting is declining in western part of
Rajasthan?
Ans The practice of rooftop rainwater harvesting is on the decline in western Rajasthan as
plenty of water is available due to the perennial Rajasthan canal.
Q20 Describe how modern adaptations of traditional rainwater harvesting methods are
being carried out to conserve and store water?
Ans In many parts of rural and urban India, rooftop rainwater harvesting is being
successfully adapted to store and conserve water-
GENDATHUR
In Gendathur, a remote backward village in Mysore, Karnataka, villagers have
installed in their households 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 1,000mm and with 80% percent of
collection efficiency and of about 10 filling, every house can collect and use about
50,000 liters of water. From 20 houses, the net amount of rainwater harvested
annually amounts to 1,00,0000 liters.
SHILLONG
Rooftop rainwater harvesting is the most common practice in Shillong,
Meghalaya.
It is interesting because Cherapunji and Mawsynram situated at a distance of 55
km from Shillong receives the highest rainfall in the world, the state capital
Shillong faces acute shortage of water.
Nearly every household in the city has a rooftop rainwater harvesting structure.
Nearly 15-25% of the total water requirement of the household comes from
rooftop water harvesting.
TAMILNADU
It is the first and the only state in India which has made rooftop rainwater
harvesting structure compulsory to all the houses across the state. There are legal
provisions to punish the defaulters.
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