NCERT Solutions for Class 10 Geography Chapter 3 Water Resources

NCERT Solutions for Class 10 Social Science Geography Chapter 3 Water Resources are given here. With these solutions, you will learn the right way to write answers to the questions perfectly in exams. We have updated the NCERT Solutions for Class 10 Geography Chapter 3 Water Resources for the current session so that you can easily score high marks in the exams. You can also download PDF of the solutions and use them whenever you are offline.

Class 10 Social Science Geography Chapter 3 NCERT Solutions

1: Multiple choice questions

(i) Based on the information given below classify each of the situations as ‘suffering from water scarcity’ or ‘not suffering from water scarcity’.

(a) A region with high annual rainfall.

(b) A region having high annual rainfall and large population.

(d) A region having low rainfall and low population.

Answer: (a) A region with high annual rainfall – Not suffering from water scarcity

(b) A region having high annual rainfall and large population – Suffering from water scarcity

(d) A region having low rainfall and low population – Not suffering from water scarcity

(ii) Which one of the following statements is not an argument in favour of multipurpose river projects?

(a) Multi-purpose projects bring water to those areas which suffer from water scarcity.

(b) Multi-purpose projects by regulating water flow help to control floods.

(d) Multi-purpose projects generate electricity for our industries and our homes.

Answer: (c) Multi-purpose projects lead to large scale displacements and loss of livelihood.

(iii) Here are some false statements. Identify the mistakes and rewrite them correctly.

(a) Multiplying urban centres with large and dense populations and urban lifestyles have helped in proper utilisation of water resources.

(b) Regulating and damming of rivers does not affect the river’s natural flow and its sediment flow.

(c) In Gujarat, the Sabarmati basin farmers were not agitated when higher priority was given to water supply in urban areas, particularly during droughts.

(d) Today in Rajasthan, the practice of rooftop rainwater water harvesting has gained popularity despite high water availability due to the Indira Gandhi Canal.

Answer. (a) Multiplying urban centres with large and dense populations and urban lifestyles have resulted in improper utilisation of water resources.

(b) Regulating and damming of rivers affect the river’s natural flow and its sediment flow.

(c) In Gujarat, the Sabarmati basin farmers were agitated when higher priority was given to water supply in urban areas, particularly during droughts.

(d) Today in Rajasthan, the practice of rooftop rainwater water harvesting popularity is declining due to high water availability from Indira Gandhi Canal.

Question 2: Answer the following questions in about 30 words.

(i) Explain how water becomes a renewable resource.

Answer: All water that is used primarily ends up in the sea. From there, it enters the hydrological cycle in the form of water vapour. Freshwater is renewed by this cycle when precipitation occurs. Hence, water is a renewable resource.

(ii) What is water scarcity and what are its main causes?

Answer: Water scarcity or water stress occurs when water availability is not enough to match the demand for water. It is caused by an increase in population, growing demand for water, and unequal access to it.

(iii) Compare the advantages and disadvantages of multi-purpose river projects.

Answer: Advantages of multi-purpose river projects: They are useful for irrigation, electricity generation, flood control, inland navigation, fish breeding, water supply for industrial and domestic purposes and tourist attraction.

Disadvantages of multi-purpose river projects: The local flora and fauna get destroyed. Many native villages are submerged. The natural flow of water is also affected.

Question 3: Answer the following questions in about 120 words.

(i) Discuss how rainwater harvesting in semi-arid regions of Rajasthan is carried out.

Answer: Houses in the semi – arid regions of Rajasthan have traditionally constructed tanks for storing drinking water. They are big and are a part of the well-developed rooftop rainwater harvesting system. The tanks are constructed inside the main house or the courtyard, and are connected to the sloping roofs of the houses through a pipe. The rain falling on the rooftop travels down and is stored in the tanks. The first spell of rain is not collected as this water cleans the roof and the pipes. The rainwater from the subsequent spells is collected. This water is used till the next rainy season, and is a reliable source of water even after other sources have dried up. The tanks also help in cooling the houses as rooms built around them have generally low temperatures due to conduction.

(ii) Describe how modern adaptations of traditional rainwater harvesting methods are being carried out to conserve and store water.

Answer: Modern adaptations of traditional rainwater harvesting include:

In the semi-arid and arid regions of Rajasthan ‘Rooftop rainwater harvesting’ is practiced to store drinking water.
In hills and mountainous regions, people build diversion channels like the ‘guls’ or ‘kuls’ of the Western Himalayas for agriculture.
In arid and semi-arid regions, agricultural fields were converted into rain fed storage structures that allowed the water to stagnate and moisten the soil like the ‘Khadins’ in Jaisalmer and the ‘Johads’ in other parts of Rajasthan.
In Gendathur village, Mysore, about 200 households have adopted the rooftop rainwater harvesting method to conserve water.
In Tamil Nadu, it has been made compulsory for all the houses to have rooftop rainwater harvesting structures.
In the flood plains of Bengal, people developed inundation channels to irrigate their fields.
Bamboo drip irrigation system is also being used in Meghalaya and other states in the North-East of India.

NCERT Solutions for Class 10 Geography Chapter 3 Water Resources: Chapter Overview

We all know how much essential is water for us. Without water, we can’t even think about life. So we need to think twice before we waste-water. In this chapter, you will learn about water scarcity and the need for water conservation and management.