Important Questions for Chapter 3 Water Resources Class 10 Geography
Important Questions1
Name any one river valley project which has significantly contributed to the loss of forest?
Answer
Sardar Sarovar Dam.
VSAQ
2
Name two Environmental movements which were against the multi-purpose projects.
Answer
Narmada Bachao Andolan and Tehri Dam Andolan.
VSAQ
3
What percentage of the total volume of world’s water is estimated to exist as oceans?
Answer
96.5%.
VSAQ
4
Who proclaimed dams as the temple of modern India?
Answer
Jawaharlal Nehru.
VSAQ
5
Which river is known as the ‘River of Sorrow’?
Answer
Damodar River.
VSAQ
6
On which river ‘Bhakhra Nangal Dam’ has been constructed?
Answer
River Satluj.
VSAQ
7
On which river has the Hirakud Dam been constructed?
Answer
River Mahanadi.
VSAQ
8
What is Dam?
Answer
A dam is a barrier across flowing water.
VSAQ
9
In which region people built ‘Guls’ or ‘Kuls’ for irrigation?
Answer
Western Himalayas.
VSAQ
10
Which largest artificial lake was built in 11th century?
Answer
Bhopal lake.
VSAQ
11
Which water is recharged by roof-top rainwater harvesting technique?
Answer
Ground water.
VSAQ
12
What is known as layer of rock which absorb and hold water?
Answer
Aquifer.
VSAQ
13
On which river, Sardar Sarovar Dam is constructed?
Answer
River Narmada.
VSAQ
14
In which one of the following states palar pani is considered the purest form of natural water?
Answer
Rajasthan.
VSAQ
15
On which one of the following rivers the Tehri Dam is being constructed?
Answer
Sutlej.
VSAQ
16
On which one of the following rivers Mettur dam is constructed?
Answer
River Kaveri.
VSAQ
17
On which river the Salal Dam is built?
Answer
Chenab.
VSAQ
1
Mention any four main objectives of multipurpose river valley projects. Name any two Multipurpose Projects of India.
Answer
Four main objectives of multipurpose river valley projects are-
• For irrigational activities.
• To generate hydroelectricity.
• To control flood.
• For recreation
Two multipurpose projects are Bhakhra nagal project and Hirakud project.
SAQ
2
Why did Jawaharlal Nehru proclaim the dams as the “temples of modern India”? Explain any three reasons.
Answer
Jawaharlal Nehru proclaimed the dams as the “temples of modern India” because:
• It would integrate development of agriculture and the village economy.
• Provide hydroelectricity for houses and industries.
• They eliminate or reduce flooding.
SAQ
3
What does the Qualitative scarcity of water mean?
Answer
Qualitative scarcity of water means bad Quality of water due to industrial waste and impurities due to chemical fertilizers and pesticides used in agriculture which makes water hazardous for human use.
SAQ
4
Explain how water become a renewable resources?
Answer
Water cycle continues through the steps of evaporation, condensation and Precipitation. Thus, it become a renewable resources.
SAQ
5
Highlight any three hydraulic structures as part of water management programmes initiated in ancient India along with the period when they were built.
Answer
• A sophisticated water harvesting system channelling the flood water of river Ganga was built at Sringaverapura near Allahabad in the 1st century B.C.
• In the 11th century, Bhopal Lake, one of the largest artificial lakes of its time was built.
• The tank in Hauz Khas, Delhi was constructed by Iltutmish in the 14th century to supply water to the Siri Fort Area.
SAQ
6
Why is groundwater a highly overused resource?
Answer
Groundwater is a highly overused resource because of the following reasons:
• Due to large and growing population and consequent greater demands for water and unequal access to it.
• To facilitate higher food grain production for large population, water resources are being over exploited to expand irrigated areas and dry season agriculture.
• In the housing societies or colonies in the cities, there is an arrangement of own ground water pumping devices to meet water needs.
SAQ
7
What is Bamboo Drip Irrigation? Mention any two features of it.
Answer
Bamboo Drip Irrigation system is a 200 year old system of tapping stream and spring water by using bamboo pipe and transporting water from higher to lower regions through gravity. Its Features:
• 18-20 litres of water enters the bamboo pipe system, get transported over hundreds of meters and finally reduces to 20-80 drops per minute at the site of the plant.
• The flow of water into the pipes is controlled by manipulating the pipe positions.
SAQ
8
Describe any three traditional methods of rainwater harvesting adopted in different parts of India.
OR
Describe any three traditional methods of rainwater harvesting adopted in different parts of India.
Answer
• In hilly and mountainous regions, people build diversion channels like ‘gul’ or ‘kul’ in Western Himalaya for agriculture.
• Roof-top rainwater harvesting was commonly practised to store drinking water particularly in Rajasthan.
• In West Bengal, people develop inundation channels to irrigate their fields.
SAQ
9
Explain the working of underground tanks as a part of roof top rainwater harvesting system practised in Rajasthan.
OR
Discuss how rainwater harvesting in semiarid regions of Rajasthan is carried out.
Answer
• In semi-arid and arid regions of Rajasthan almost all the houses traditionally had underground tanks for storing drinking water. They are extremely reliable source of drinking water when other sources are dried up. This is considered the purest form of natural water.
• The tanks can be as large as big rooms.
• The tanks were part of the well-developed rooftop rainwater harvesting system.
SAQ
1
How have intensive industrialization and urbanization posed a great pressure on existing fresh water resources in India. Explain.
Answer
• Large scale industrialisation and urbanisation have posed a great pressure on existing fresh water resources as many multinational companies are being set up in India who are the heavy consumers of water for processing, discharge of effluents and as an energy resource.
• Hydroelectricity produced for industrial units have not only posed a great threat to the availability of fresh water resources but also contributed to bad quality of water with large growing number of urban centres and population.
• Modern lifestyle of the urban people has created more demand for water both for domestic purposes and increased consumption of energy.
• In housing colonies to meet the needs of population, water resources are over-exploited resulting in depletion of ground water resources.
• Fresh water needs to be protected from industrial pollution and wastage of water in cities.
LAQ
2
Explain any three reasons responsible for water scarcity in India?
OR
Water is available in abundance in India even then scarcity of water is experienced in major parts of the country. Explain it with four examples.
Answer
• The availability of water resources varies over space and time, mainly due to the variations in seasonal and annual precipitation.
• Over-exploitation, excessive use and unequal access to water among different social groups.
• Water scarcity may be an outcome of large and growing population and consequent greater demands for water. A large population means more water to produce more food. Hence, to facilitate higher food-grain production, water resources are being over exploited to expand irrigated areas for dry-season agriculture.
• Most farmers have their own wells and tubewells in their farms for irrigation to increase their production. But it may lead to falling groundwater levels, adversely affecting water availability and food security of the people. Thus, inspite of abundant water there is water scarcity.
LAQ
3
Why is roof top water harvesting important in Rajasthan? Explain.
Answer
Roof top water harvesting is important in Rajasthan because:
• It was commonly practised to store drinking water.
• The rainwater can be stored in the tanks till the next rainfall, making it an extremely reliable source of drinking water when all other sources are dried up, particularly in the summers.
• Rain water, or palar pani, as commonly referred to in these parts, is considered the purest form of natural water.
• Many houses construct underground rooms adjoining the ‘tanka’ to beat the summer heat as it would keep the room cool.
• Some houses still maintain the tanks since they do not like the taste of tap water.
LAQ
4
List any three advantages and three disadvantages of multipurpose river project.
Answer
Advantages:
• These are the main source of electricity production.
• These projects help in controlling the floods.
• Used for recreation and inland navigation.
Disadvantages:
• Due to the construction of dams, there are no adequate floods in the river. Because of this, the soil of the downstream region does not get nutrient rich silt.
• Dams also fragment rivers making it difficult for aquatic fauna to migrate for spawning, i.e., to produce eggs.
• It resulted in displacement of local communities.
LAQ
5
Why are different water harvesting systems considered a viable alternative both socioeconomically and environmentally in a country like India?
Answer
Keeping into view the disadvantages and rising resistance against the multi-purpose projects, water harvesting system is considered a viable alternative both socio-economically and environmentally.
• In ancient India also alongwith the sophisticated hydraulic structures, there existed an extraordinary tradition of various water harvesting systems.
• People adopted different techniques in different areas. In hilly regions people built diversion channels like the ‘guls’ or ‘kuls’ for agriculture.
• Roof-top rain water harvesting was commonly practised to store drinking water, particularly in Rajasthan.
• In the flood plains of Bengal, people developed inundation channels to irrigate their fields.
• Khadins, Johads and Tanks are the forms of rain water harvesting practised in Rajasthan.
LAQ
1
Even though three-fourth of the earth is water and water is a renewable resource, then why it is predicted that by 2025, nearly 2 billion people will live in absolute water scarcity?
Answer
People need fresh water which is scanty in nature and now over-exploited for various purposes. Fresh water is depleted gradually, so the prediction is worth concerning.
VBQ
1
Name any Multi-purpose projects In India and give three contributions of that project.
Answer
The Damodar Valley Project offers the following advantages:
• Power station under that project provides 104 MW of Hydro electricity.
• The project provides 136 km of inland waterways through reservoirs and canals.
• Its canals irrigate 4,50,000 hectares of agricultural land.
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