CBSE Class 10 Geography Notes Chapter 3 : Water Resources

Last Updated : 16 Apr, 2025

Water Resources is an important chapter in CBSE Class 10 Geography. Chapter 3 Geography covers the availability of freshwater resources on Earth and the causes of water scarcity in various regions. It also discusses the construction of dams on river banks and the positive and negative impacts of such constructions on the environment, society, and economy. Additionally, Chapter 3 highlights the importance of rainwater harvesting and its various methods to conserve water. It also discusses the significance of water management and the need for sustainable use of water resources.

In the water resources class 10 notes, the topic of water conservation is also going to be discussed. Chapter 3 - water resources notes cover all the necessary topics that are extremely important for the board examination of 2024. It can save you time and will positively affect your results.

CBSE-Class-10-Geography-Notes-Chapter-3--Water-Resources — CBSE Class 10 Geography Notes Chapter 3 : Water Resources

Class 10 Geography Chapter 3: Water Resources

Topics Covered in Geography Chapter 3 - Water Resources
Water
Multi-Purpose River Projects and Integrated Water Resources Management
Rainwater Harvesting

1. Water

About three-fourths of the surface of the earth is covered with water, but only a small proportion of the same accounts for the freshwater, which can be put to use. Water is one of the renewable resources.

Water Scarcity and Need for Water Conservation and Management

The availability of water resources tends to vary over space as well as time:

Water scarcity is mainly caused because of over-exploitation as well as excessive use and also unequal access to water among the various social groups.
Water resources are also being able to be over-exploited for the expansion of irrigated areas for dry-season agriculture.
In certain areas, water is not available properly to the needs of the people. But certain areas still suffer from water scarcity because of the bad quality of water.

Need for Conservation and Management of Water Resources

For safeguarding ourselves against health hazards.
For ensuring food security, continuity of livelihoods, and also for productive forms of activities.
For prevention of degradation of natural ecosystems.

2. Multi-Purpose River-projects and Integrated Water Resources Management

The conservation of water in ancient times was done by the construction of well-developed hydraulic structures such as dams which are built of stone rubble, reservoirs, embankments, and also canals for irrigation. The construction of dams in modern times is a contribution to continuing the tradition.

Dams

A dam refers to a barrier situated across the flow of water which obstructs, directs as well as retards the flow, by the creation of a reservoir, lake, or impoundment. Dam refers to the reservoir which is built rather than referring to the structure.

Uses Of Dams

Dams are built because of the following reasons:

For impounding rivers as well as rainwater which can be used later for the irrigation of the agricultural fields.
For the generation of electricity.
For supply of water for uses of domestic as well as industrial uses.
For controlling floods.
For recreation, inland navigation as well as breeding of fish.

Side Effects of Creating Dams

Some of the important side effects of the creation of dams are as follows:

River regulation and damming alter their natural flow, resulting in poor sediment flow and excessive sedimentation at the reservoir's bottom, resulting in rockier stream beds and poorer habitats for the rivers' aquatic life.
Dams also fragment rivers, making migration of aquatic fauna difficult, particularly for spawning. The reservoirs formed on the floodplains also submerge the existing vegetation and soil, causing it to decompose over time. Flooding was caused by sedimentation in the reservoir.
Additionally, it was found that multipurpose projects contributed to pollution due to excessive water use, water-borne infections, and pests. Multi-purpose projects and large dams have also sparked many new social movements, such as the 'Narmada Bachao Andolan' and the 'Tehri Dam Andolan', among others. There has been opposition to these initiatives.
Local community eviction has been a key point of contention with these initiatives. For the benefit of the country as a whole, locals were regularly compelled to give up their land, means of subsistence, and restricted access to and control over resources.

Some of the major objections which have arisen are due to the failures in the achievement of the purposes because of which they were built. The construction of most of the dams was for controlling floods, but the dams many times triggered floods. Extensive soil erosion also seems to have been caused because of the dams. The excessive and merciless use of water has led to earthquakes and caused waterborne diseases as well as pollution and pests.

India Major Rivers and Dams Map

Major rivers and Dams — Major Rivers and Dams

Narmada Bachao Andolan

The Narmada Bachao or Save Narmada Movement refers to the Non-Governmental Organisation or NGO, which is responsible for the mobilization of the tribal people, farmers, environmentalists as well as human rights activists against the Sardar Sarovar Dam which is constructed across the Narmada River in Gujarat.

Originally, the focus was mostly on environmental issues which were in relation to trees, which would be submerged under the dam water, and at present, it has refocused the aim on enabling poor citizens, mostly the displaced people for getting full rehabilitation facilities from the government.

The majority of the criticisms leveled at the projects stemmed from their failure to achieve the goals for which they were designed. A water harvesting system was a viable socioeconomic and environmental option. Along with sophisticated hydraulic structures, ancient India had an extraordinary tradition of water-harvesting systems. In response to the local ecological conditions and water needs, a variety of techniques for harvesting rainwater, groundwater, river water, and flood water were developed.

3. Rain Water Harvesting

Rainwater harvesting refers to the method by which rainfall is collected for the use in future. The rainwater which is collected can be stored and utilized in different ways or for direct use for recharging purposes.

Different types of rainwater harvesting are used and adopted in different areas:

In hilly and mountainous areas, the people built diversion channels like that of 'guls' or 'kuls', of the western Himalayas for use in agriculture.
"Rooftop Rainwater Harvesting" is used very commonly for practising storing drinking water, particularly in dry states like Rajasthan.
In the flood plains of West Bengal, people have developed inundation channels for the irrigation of their fields.
In the case of both arid and semi-arid areas, agricultural areas have been converted to rain-fed storage structures which have allowed the water to stand and also provide moisture to the soil, which is known as Khadins in Jaisalmer and also Johads in parts of Rajasthan.
The tankas are important and well-developed rooftop rainwater harvesting and are built mostly inside the main house or in the courtyard. Mainly practised in Rajasthan for saving rainwater, like in Bikaner and Barmer areas.

Tamil Nadu is one of the first states in India to make it compulsory for the construction of rooftop rainwater structures across the state and legal provisions are present for violation of the same.

Bamboo drip Irrigation System

Rainwater harvesting from rooftops is the most common practice in Shillong, Meghalaya. In Meghalaya, a 200-year-old method of drawing water from springs and streams using bamboo pipes is widely used. About 18-20 litres of water enter the bamboo pipe system, gets transported over hundreds of meters, and finally reduces to 20-80 drops per minute at the site of the plant.

The bamboo channel sections direct water to the plant location where it is distributed into branches that are also constructed and set out using various bamboo pipe designs. The flow of water into the pipes is controlled by manipulating the pipe positions. Reduced channel sections and diversion units are used at the last stage of water application. The last channel section enables water to be dropped near the roots of the plant. Pipes are taken high above when they pass a road.

Read More: Rainwater Harvesting

CBSE Notes Class 10 Geography Chapter 4 - Agriculture

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Article Tags :

CBSE Class 10 Geography Notes Chapter 3 : Water Resources

Class 10 Geography Chapter 3: Water Resources

Topics Covered in Geography Chapter 3 - Water Resources

1. Water

Water Scarcity and Need for Water Conservation and Management

Need for Conservation and Management of Water Resources

2. Multi-Purpose River-projects and Integrated Water Resources Management

Dams

India Major Rivers and Dams Map

Narmada Bachao Andolan

3. Rain Water Harvesting

Bamboo drip Irrigation System

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