Water Resources
Water
Scarcity
Rainwater
Harvesting
Dams
A CB
Water Resources
Water
Scarcity
A
Rainwater
Harvesting
Dams
B C
Water Scarcity
Water scarcity is a condition when there are insufficient freshwater resources
to meet the human and environmental demands of a given area.
Water Scarcity: Availability of Fresh Water
2 Litres
= 100% of Water
12 Spoons = 2.5%
of Fresh Water
97.5% Left Water
= Salt Water
- =
Water Scarcity: Availability of Fresh Water
9 Spoons 2 Spoons 1/2 Spoons 1 Drop
97.5% of the total volume of the world’s water is estimated
to exist as oceans and only 2.5% as fresh water
Distribution of fresh water
Icecaps Groundwater Fresh water lakesRivers
Water Scarcity: Uneven Distribution of Water
Western India: Thar Desert gets
very low rainfall
North-Eastern India: Mawsynramis
the wettest place in India
Causes of Water Scarcity: Quantitative and
Qualitative Aspects
Growing Population
Agriculture Expanded
Growth of Industry
Quantitative:Water Table going down
Qualitative: Increase in Salinity
More Food
More Irrigation
Quantitative :Water Table going
down
Qualitative :Water Pollution
Urbanisation and Industrialisation
More domestic and industrial use
Need of the Hour: Dealing with Water Scarcity
Grow: Drought Resistant Crops
E.g.: Pearl Millet or Bajra
Treat:Wastewater
Need of the Hour: Jal Jeevan Mission
•Government of India has initiated the Jal Jeevan Mission.
•This to improve quality of life in rural areas.
•The goal is to provide potable piped water at a service level of 55
litres per capita per day on a long term basis to ensure functionality
of tap water connections.
QUICK
QUESTION
97.5% of the total volume of the world’s water is
estimated to exist as ______ and only 2.5% as______
Freshwater, oceansA Saltwater, freshwaterB
Groundwater, oceans
C None of the above D
97.5% of the total volume of the world’s water is
estimated to exist as ______ and only 2.5% as______
Freshwater, oceansA Saltwater, freshwaterB
Groundwater, oceansC None of the above D
Water Resources
Water
Scarcity
Rainwater
Harvesting
Dams
A B C
What are dams?
A dam is a barrier across flowing water to obstruct, direct or hamper its flow
by often creating a reservoir, lake, or impoundment. Most dams have a
section called a spillway or weir over which water will flow through-
continuously or intermediately.
Classification of Dams: Structure and Material
Timber Dams Embankment Dams Masonry Dams
(Primarily
made of wood)
(made of naturally
available soil and rock)
(made of stone and
brick)
Classification of Dams: Height
Low Dams Medium Dams High Dams
Hydraulic Structures in Ancient India
❖In the earlier days, they built traditionally to built to impound rivers and
rainwater, that could be used to irrigate agricultural fields.
❖In the first century B.C, Sringaverapuranear Allahabad, had sophisticated
water harvesting system channelling the flood water.
❖During the time of Chandragupta Maurya, dams, lakes and irrigation
system were extensively built.
❖Evidences of sophisticated irrigation works have been found in
Kalinga(Odhisha), Bennur(Karnataka) and in Kolhapur (Maharashtra)
❖In the 14
th
Century, the tank in Hauz Khaz, Delhi was built by Iltumishfor
supplying water to Siri Fort Area.
Dams: Advantages
Irrigation HydroelectricityInland Navigation
Fish BreedingRecreational ActivitiesRefuge for Birds
Important Dams of India
Sutlej Beas River Project
(Feeds water into Indira Gandhi Canal)
Transformed the landscape and lives of
inhabitants along Jaiselmer, Bikaner,
Jodhpur etc.
Mahanadi river
HirakudDam
Hirakud DamSutlej-Beas River Project
Environmental Impacts of Dams
Disruption of flow causes
excessive sedimentation
Sediments are rich in
nutrients
Rockier beds cause poor
habitat for the aquatics
Excessive sedimentation on
one side results in rockier beds
on the other side
Excessive Sedimentation
Poor habitat for aquatic life
Rockier Stream Bed
Environmental Impacts of Dams
Loss in soil fertility Impoundment causes
loss of vegetation
and soil
Improper release of
water from flood
gates can cause
floods.
Can cause
earthquakes
Loss in
soil
fertility
Impoundment
Mass displacement of people as
more area is required to construct
the reservoir
Unequal access to the dam's water
as at times the water is not properly
channelled.
Social Impacts of Dams
Inter-State water disputes
Example-Objection raised by
Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh
govt on Maharashtra
Change in cropping pattern
Results in increase in salinity and
makes the soil infertile.
Social Impacts of Dams
Inter-State water disputes
State 1 State 2
Intensive and
Commercial Cropping
Narmada BachaoAndolan
❖Sardar Sarovar dam has been built over the Narmada River, Gujarat.
❖One of the largest river projects encompassing 4 states-Gujarat,
Rajasthan, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh.
❖Narmada BachaoAndolanis a NGO which mobilised tribals, farmers,
environmentalists and activities against the environmental issues that
would arise on building the dam.
❖It has recently refocused it’s aim to enable poor citizens and displaced
people to get rehabilitation.
QUICK
QUESTION
What are the disadvantages of multipurpose river
valley projects?
EarthquakesA PollutionB
Waterborne diseases C All of the aboveD
What are the disadvantages of multipurpose river
valley projects?
EarthquakesA PollutionB
Waterborne diseases C All of the aboveD
Water Resources
Water
Scarcity
Rainwater
Harvesting
Dams
A B C
What is Rainwater Harvesting
Rainwater harvesting is the collection and storage of rainwater that runs off
from rooftops, parks, roads, and open grounds.
What is Rainwater Harvesting
❖Water harvesting system seemed like a viable alternative to multipurpose
river projects-socio economically and environmentally.
❖Ancient India also had an extraordinary tradition of harvesting systems.
❖People had in depth understanding of rainfall patterns, soil types, and
developed a wide range of techniques to harvest rainwater, groundwater
and river water.
Rooftop rainwater harvesting
•Rainwater accumulated at the roofs is
collected using pipes.
•Filtered out using sands and bricks.
•PVC pipes takes to an underground tank for
immediate usage.
•Water from first rain is not collected to
cleanse the pipes and tanks
•Water stored from the tank can be used for
various household activities
•Mainly practiced in arid and semi arid
regions like Rajasthan
Types of Rainwater Harvesting Systems
Rooftop rainwater harvesting.
Rooftop rainwater harvesting
•This is a most common practice in
Meghalaya and Shillong.
•Successfully adapted in remote backward
villages in Mysuru, Karnataka
•Tamil Nadu is the first state in India has
made rooftop rainwater compulsory to all
the houses across the state
Types of Rainwater Harvesting Systems
Rooftop rainwater harvesting.
Types of Rainwater Harvesting Systems
Tankas
•In Rajasthan, there are underground tanks
or Tankas for storing drinking water.
•They were part of the rooftop rainwater
harvesting and were built inside the main
house.
•Makes it an extremely reliable source of
drinking water.
•It was considered to be the natural water or
purest form of water-“ PalarPani”
Guls or Kuls
Western Himalayan region
Khadins and Johads
Semi arid regions
Types of Rainwater Harvesting Systems
Guls or Kuls
Khadin
Bamboo Drip Irrigation System
Meghalaya
Inundation Canal System
Bengal
Types of Rainwater Harvesting Systems
TEXTBOOK
QUESTION
Describe how modern adaptations of traditional
rainwater harvesting methods are being carried out
to conserve and store water
Approach
Describe how modern adaptations of traditional rainwater harvesting
methods are being carried out to conserve and store water
Basic Introduction
Give the examples of traditional
rainwater harvesting from
different parts of India
Answer
Describe how modern adaptations of traditional rainwater harvesting
methods are being carried out to conserve and store water
Basic Introduction
Give the examples of traditional
rainwater harvesting from
different parts of India
Rainwater harvesting is the simple process or technology used to conserve
rainwater by collecting, storing, conveying and purifying rainwater that runs
off from rooftops, parks, roads, open grounds, etc. for later use.
Answer
Give the examples of traditional
rainwater harvesting from
different parts of India
Fortunately, in many parts of rural and urban India, different methods of
rooftop rainwater harvesting have always been adopted. The modern methods
of rainwater harvesting include:
Basic Introduction
Describe how modern adaptations of traditional rainwater harvesting
methods are being carried out to conserve and store water
Give the examples of traditional
rainwater harvesting from
different parts of India
Meghalaya: Using bamboo pipes, spring and steam water is tapped in Meghalaya.
Gendathur: In Gendathura remote village in the Mysore district of Karnataka
rooftop rainwater harvesting system was installed in around
200 houses.
Rajasthan: All the houses have tankas or underground tanks in Balmer, Phalodi,
Bikaner regions of Rajasthan.
Basic Introduction
Answer
Answer
Rainwater harvesting is the simple process or technology used to conserve rainwater
by collecting, storing, conveying and purifyingrainwater that runs off from rooftops,
parks, roads, open grounds etc. for later use.
Fortunately, in many parts of rural and urban India, different methods of rooftop
rainwater harvesting has always been adapted. The modern adaptations of
rainwater harvesting include:
•Meghalaya:Using bamboo pipes, spring and stream water is tapped in
Meghalaya. This system is over 200 years old.
•Gendathur: In Gendathura remote village in the Mysore district of
Karnataka rooftop rainwater harvesting system was installed in around 200
houses. Around 1 lakh litersof rainwater is harvested annually from 20 houses in
this village.
•Rajasthan: To store drinking water, ‘Rooftop rainwater harvesting’ is
commonly practiced. For storing drinking water, all the houses have tankas or
underground tanks in Balmer, Phalodi, and Bikaner regions of Rajasthan.
SUMMARY
Summary
Water scarcity is a condition when there
are insufficient freshwater resources to
meet the human and environmental
demandsof a given area.
Causes of Water scarcity
Quantitative Aspects
•Growing population
•Increase in agricultural demand
•Urbanisation and Industrialisation
•Unequal access of water
•Overexploitation of Groundwater
Qualitative Aspects
•Pollution of Water Bodies
Advantages of Dams
•Irrigation
•Flood Control
•Power generation through hydroelectricity
•Inland Navigation
•Recreational activities
•Breeding ground for fishes
SUMMARY: Disadvantages of Dams
Excessive sedimentation
on one side results in rockier
beds on the other side
Poor habitat for aquatics Loss in soil fertility
Rockier Stream Bed
Poor habitat for aquatics
Loss in soil fertility
SUMMARY: Disadvantages of Dams
Loss of vegetation Can cause floods Can cause earthquakes
Impoundment
SUMMARY: Social Impacts of Dams
Mass displacement of People Unequal access to dam's water
Inter-State water disputes Change in cropping pattern
Inter-State water disputes
State 1 State 2 Intensive and
Commercial Cropping
Guls or Kuls: Western Himalayan regionKhadins and Johads: Semi arid regions
Bamboo Drip Irrigation System: MeghalayaInundation Canal System: Bengal
Guls or Kuls
Khadin
SUMMARY: Types of Rainwater Harvesting Systems
Join Our Parenting Expert
Chetna Vasishth
VP at BYJU’S | TEDx Speaker | ChetChat Founder | XLRI Gold Medalist
Save The Date: 10th November| Register Now
CURIOSITY is a SUPERPOWER! Learn how to harness it in your children.