Water harvesting is a technique to collect water from rain in underground or overhead reservoirs so that it can seep down the soil once more to form groundwater in that area rather than running off to water bodies and going to far off places. It is an age old technique adopted by local people by making the traditional Structures like ponds, tanks, etc. It is significant from the point of view of conserving soil and water which ultimately leads to growth of more trees and increase in animal population. Thus it leads to ecological balance. Due to less water running off to water bodies and recharging of groundwater, floods and draught are reduced. It also replenishes water in reservoirs. It gives employment to those involved in it and increases income of those benefited by it. It avoids the mismanagement and misuse of water resource as local people can control them and take benefit too.
(i) Prashant colony does not get enough water during month of May and June every year. Suggest two ways to deal with the problem of water shortage.
(ii) A village in Rajasthan has taken an innovative approach to collect rainwater in underground tanks. Will this water be useful to the whole nation or to this village?
(iii) Is there some other way, villagers can collect this water too? How?
Water harvesting is a technique to collect water from rain in underground or overhead reservoirs so that it can seep down the soil once more to form groundwater in that area rather than running off to water bodies and going to far off places. It is an age old technique adopted by local people by making the traditional Structures like ponds, tanks, etc. It is significant from the point of view of conserving soil and water which ultimately leads to growth of more trees and increase in animal population. Thus it leads to ecological balance. Due to less water running off to water bodies and recharging of groundwater, floods and draught are reduced. It also replenishes water in reservoirs. It gives employment to those involved in it and increases income of those benefited by it. It avoids the mismanagement and misuse of water resource as local people can control them and take benefit too.
(i) Prashant colony does not get enough water during month of May and June every year. Suggest two ways to deal with the problem of water shortage.
(ii) A village in Rajasthan has taken an innovative approach to collect rainwater in underground tanks. Will this water be useful to the whole nation or to this village?
(iii) Is there some other way, villagers can collect this water too? How?
Water:
- Water is necessary for the survival of life.
- It is important to use water consciously and avoid its wastage.
- Water is not equally available in all parts due to its shortage.
(i) Avoiding water shortage:
1. Watershed management:
- The indigenous systems in watershed management are pits, limestone reservoirs, and lakes that bring flowing water to the water reservoirs that can be utilized for fulfilling the water-related needs of the population.
- Thus, the Prashant colony can develop pits and artificial lakes to restore the groundwater level that can be utilized during summers.
- The colony representatives can work to construct a map and a geo-hydrological survey to search for areas for the development of groundwater.
- The activities that can be performed by the colony people include land leveling, bench terracing and the construction of farm ponds.
- All these measures of watershed management can be used by the Prashant colony to resolve the water scarcity problem during summers.
2. Water harvest:
- Water harvesting is the storage of rainstorm-generated water for future use.
- Prashant colony may construct tanks or ponds to collect rainwater runoffs in May and June.
(ii) Water harvesting in tanks:
- A catchment area or tanks underground helps to collect rainwater.
- The underground tanks are encased in concrete or stones.
- The underground tanks are sufficient to provide water for a family or a collection of small families.
- The underground tanks installed in the Rajasthan village will benefit the locals of the village.
(iii) Alternative water harvesting:
- Khadins are structures indigenous to Rajasthan and used to store rainfed water.
- The hill slopes are used to build the earthen embankment that stores the water.
Water:
- Water is necessary for the survival of life.
- It is important to use water consciously and avoid its wastage.
- Water is not equally available in all parts due to its shortage.
(i) Avoiding water shortage:
1. Watershed management:
- The indigenous systems in watershed management are pits, limestone reservoirs, and lakes that bring flowing water to the water reservoirs that can be utilized for fulfilling the water-related needs of the population.
- Thus, the Prashant colony can develop pits and artificial lakes to restore the groundwater level that can be utilized during summers.
- The colony representatives can work to construct a map and a geo-hydrological survey to search for areas for the development of groundwater.
- The activities that can be performed by the colony people include land leveling, bench terracing and the construction of farm ponds.
- All these measures of watershed management can be used by the Prashant colony to resolve the water scarcity problem during summers.
2. Water harvest:
- Water harvesting is the storage of rainstorm-generated water for future use.
- Prashant colony may construct tanks or ponds to collect rainwater runoffs in May and June.
(ii) Water harvesting in tanks:
- A catchment area or tanks underground helps to collect rainwater.
- The underground tanks are encased in concrete or stones.
- The underground tanks are sufficient to provide water for a family or a collection of small families.
- The underground tanks installed in the Rajasthan village will benefit the locals of the village.
(iii) Alternative water harvesting:
- Khadins are structures indigenous to Rajasthan and used to store rainfed water.
- The hill slopes are used to build the earthen embankment that stores the water.
