ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES

ASSIGNMENT 1
WATER RESOURCES

SUBMITTED BY
GREETY MARIA THOMAS C
S9 BARCH
11BAR1013

WATER RESOURCES
CONTENT

WATER RESOURCES
WATER AS A UNIQUE SOURCE
HYDROLOGICAL CYCLE
WATER AVAILABILITY
WATER USE AND OVER EXPLOITATION
SOURCES OF WATER
SURFACE WATER
FLOOD
DROUGHT
IMPACT OF DAMS
TIPS TO CONSERVE WATER AND WATER RESOURCES
SOURCE : PERSPECTIVES IN ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES
FOURTH EDITION
BY ANUBHA KAUSHIK&C P KAUSHIK
PAGE NO:26-43

WATER RESOURCES
WATER IS AN INDISPENSABLE NATURAL RESOURCE ON THIS EARTH WHICH ALL LIFE
DEPENDS. ABOUT 97% OF THE EARTH SURFACE IS COVERED BY WATER AND MOST OF
THE ANIMALS AND PLANTS HAVE 60-65% WATER IN THEIR BODY.

WATER IS AN UNIQUE RESOURCE:IT EXISTS AS LIGUID

AND HAS HIGHEST SPECIFIC

HEAT,DUE TO WHICH IT WARMS UP AND COOLS DOWN VERY SLOWLY.
IT HAS HIGH LATENT HEAT OF VAPOURIZATION,WHICH TAKES HUGE AMOUNT OF ENERGY FOR
VAPOURIZING MAKES A COOLING EFFECT AS IT EVAPOURATES.
IT HAS ANOMALOUS EXPANSION
BEHAVIOUR,WHICH MAKES AQUATIC
LIFE IN FROZEN REGIONS.
DUE TO HIGH SURFACE TENSION
AND COHESION,IT CAN EASILY RISE
TO GREAT HEIGHTS.

THE HYDROLOGICAL CYCLE

CONTINUOSLY
PURIFIES,RECYCLES AND
DISTRIBUTES FRESH WATER.
EVERY YEAR ABOUT 1.4 INCH THICK
LAYER OF WATER EVAPOURATES FROM
THE OCEANS,MORE THAN 90% OF
WHICH RETURNS TO OCEANS
THROUGH HYDROLOGICAL CYCLE.
SOURCE:Global Environment Awareness PPT
Lectured by: Dr. Sin Meng Srun

WATER AVAILABILITY

ALTHOUGH WATER IS ABUNDANT ON THIS EARTH, YET IT IS VERY PRECIOUS.OUT OF

THE TOTAL WATER RESERVES OF THE WORLD,ABOUT 97.4% IS SALTY WATER (MARINE)
AND ONLY 2.6% IS FRESH WATER.EVEN THIS SMALL FRACTION OF FRESH WATER IS NOT
AVAILABLE TO US AS MOST OF IT IS LOCKED UP IN POLAR ICE CAPS(1.98%) AND J UST .
6% IS READILY AVAI LABLE TO US IN FORM OF GROUND WATER AND SURFACE WATER,WATER
IN ATMOSPHERE AND IN LIVING ORGANISMS.

OCEANS : 97.4%
SALT CONTENTS 3.5%
NOT GOOD FOR
CONSUMPTION
WITHOUT
DESALINATION.

GLACIERS AND ICE

2.6%
THESE OCCUR AT HIGHER
ALTITUDE AND LATITUDES.

SO WE HAVE TO USE THIS

PRECIOUS FRESH WATER
JUDICIOUSLY AND WISELY.AS
PER UN ESTIMATES(2005) IT IS
SAID THAT 2/3RD OF THE
WORLD POPULATION WILL BE
SUFFERING FROM ACUTE
WATER SHORTAGE BY 2024.

WATER USE AND OVER EXPLOITATION

WATER IS ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL FOR LIFE.IT SHAPES THE EARTH SURFACE AND
REGULATES OUR CLIMATE.MOST OF THE LIFE PROCESSES LIKE UPTAKE OF
NUTRIENTS,THEIR DISTRIBUTION,REGULATION OF TEMPERATURE,ETC ARE ALL
MEDIATED THROUGH WATER.

WATER USAGE
25%

5%
70%

AGRICULTUR
E
INDUSTRIAL
SECTOR
OTHER USES

WATER
USE BY
HUMANS

WATER
WITHDRAWAL :
TAKING WATER
FROM GROUND
WATER OR
SURFACE
WATER
RESOURCES

WATER CONSUMPTION :
THE WATER IS TAKEN UP
BUT NOT RETURNED
FOR REUSE.ONLY 60%
OF WATER WITHDRAWN
IS CONSUMED,REST IS
LOST THROUGH
EVAPOURATION

SOURCE:www.google.co.in/water.usgs.gov/edu/pictures

WHAT ARE THE SOURCES OF WATER?

GROUNDWATER IS WATER IN THE ROCK AND SOIL LAYER
BENEATH EARTHS SURFACE. ABSORB EXCESS RUNOFF RAIN AND
SNOW ON GROUND. RETURN TO LAKES, STREAMS, RIVERS AND/OR
MARSHES.
IS READILY AVAILABLE FOR USE AND DRINKING.
PRECIPITATION FILTERS DOWN THROUGH PORES AND CRACKS IN
SOIL AND ROCKS.
GROUND WATER IS NOT STATIC,IT MOVES THOUGH AT A VERY SLOW
RATE OF ABOUT A METER OR SO IN A YEAR.
A LAYER OF SEDIMENT OR ROCK THAT IS HIGHLY PERMEABLE AND
CONTAINS WATER IS AN AQUIFER.(LIKE LAYERS OF SAND AND GRAVEL)

Precipitation

UNCONFINED
AQUIFER
FORMED WHEN WATER
COLLECTS OVER A ROCK
OR COMPACT CLAY.
CONFINED AQUIFER
FORMED WHEN
SANWICHED BETWEEN
TWO LAYERS HAVING LOW
PERMEABILITY.

Flowing
artesian well
Evaporation and transpiration
Well requiring a pump
Evaporation

Confined
Recharge Area

Runoff
Aquifer
Infiltration Water table

Less permeable material

such as clay

Stream

Infiltration
Unconfined aquifer

Lake

Confined aquifer
Confirming permeable rock layer

SOURCE:G. Tyler Millers

Living in the Environment -PPT

WHAT ARE THE EFFECTS OF EXCESS USAGE OF GROUND WATER?

SUBSIDENCE : WHEN GROUND WATER WITHDRAWAL IS MORE THAN RECHARGE
RATE,SEDIMENTS IN AQUIFER GETS COMPACTED GROUND SUBSIDENCE.IT RESULTS IN
SINKING OF OVERLYING LAND SURFACE WHICH AFFECTS STRUCTURAL DAMAGE TO
BUILDINGS,CANALS,ETC.
LOWERING OF WATER TABLE : EXCESSIVE MINING CAUSES THIS LOWERING WHICH
AFFECTS AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION.
WATER LOGGING : EXCESSIVE IRRIGATION RAISES WATER TABLE WHICH LEADS TO WATER
LOGGING AND SALINITY PROBLEMS.
WATER POLLUTION : DISCHARGE AND DUMPING OF WASTES CAUSE POLLUTION
PROBLEMS.

SURFACE WATER

SOURCE:Global Environment Awareness PPT

Lectured by: Dr. Sin Meng Srun

THE WATER COMING THROUGH PRECIPITATION(RAINFALL,SNOW) WHEN DOES NOT PERCOLATE

DOWN INTO THE GROUND OR DOES NOT RETURN TO THE ATMOSPHERE AS EVAPOURATION OR
TRANSPIRATION LOSS,ASSUMES THE FORM OF STREAMS,LAKES,PONDS,WETLANDS OR ARTIFICIAL
RESERVOIRS AS SURFACE WATER.

FLOODS

IT IS THE OVERFLOW OF WATER THAT SUBMERGES THE

LAND.

IS THERE A RELATION BETWEEN

HUMAN ACTIVITIES AND FLOOD?
IN SOME COUNTRIES LIKE INDIA AND
BANGLADESH RAINFALL DOES NOT OCCUR
THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, 90% OF IT IS
CONCENTRATED INTO A FEW MONTHS (JUNE
SEPTEMBER).HEAVY RAINFALL CAUSES
FLOODS IN THE LOW-LYING COASTAL
AREAS.PROLONGED DOWNPOUR CAN ALSO
CAUSE THE OVER-FLOWING OF LAKES AND
RIVERS RESULTING INTO FLOODS.

FLOOD OCCURRED IN
BIHAR-2008

SOURCE: http://archive.indianexpress.com/news/floodsituation-worsens-in-bihar-as-another-river-breaches

005 : Maharashtra flood

THERE ARE SEVERAL ANTHROPOGENIC

ACTIVITIES LIKE DEFORESTATION, OVER
GRAZING,MINING, RAPID INDUSTRILIZATION, GLOBAL
WARMING ETC.THAT HAVE CONTRIBUTED LARGELY TO
A SHARP RISE IN THE INCIDENCE OF FLOODS,WHICH
OTHERWISE IS A NATURAL RESOURCE.

SOURCE:WIKIPEDIA-MAHARASTRA FLOOD IN 2005

HIMALAYAN RUNOFF AND STORMS HAD VERY DISASTROUS CONSEQUENCES CAUSING

MASSIVE DEATHS AND DAMAGES IN INDIA.NETWORKING AND INTER LINKING OF RIVERS IS
BEING PROPOSED AT NATIONAL LEVEL TO DEAL WITH PROBLEMS OF FLOODS.

DROUGHTS
HAVE HUMAN ACTIVITIES INCREASED
VULNERABILITY TO DROUGHT?
WHEN ANNUAL RAINFALL IS BELOW NORMAL AND
LESS EVAPOURATION,DROUGHT CONDITIONS ARE
CREATED.IRONICALLY THESE DROUGHT-HIT AREAS ARE
OF HAVING A HIGH POPULATION GROWTH WHICH
LEADS TO POOR LAND USE AND MAKES THE
SITUATION WORSE.
ANTHROPOGENIC CAUSES : ANTHROPOGENIC
CAUSES LIKE OVER GRAZING, DEFORESTATION, MINING
ETC.THERE IS SPREADING OF THE DESERTS TENDING
TO CONVERT MORE AREAS TO DROUGHT AFFECTED
AREAS.IN THE LAST TWENTY YEARS,INDIA HAS
EXPERIENCED MORE AND MORE DESERTIFICATION,
THEREBY INCREASING THE VULNERABILITY OF LARGER
PARTS OF THE COUNTRY TO DROUGHTS.
ENORMOUS AND INTENSIVE CROPPING PATTERN AND
INCREASED EXPLOITATION OF SCARCE WATER
RESOURCES THROUGH WELL OR CANAL IRRIGATION
TO GET HIGH PRODUCTIVITY HAS CONVERTED
SOURCE:DROUGHTS IN
DROUGHT-PRONE INTO DESERTIFIED AREAS.

INDIA PPT BY K.Amruta

BIG DAMS BENEFITS AND PROBLEMS

BIG DAMS ARE OFTEN REGARDED AS A SYMBOL OF NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT.

BENEFITS
PLAY A KEY ROLE IN DEVELOPMENT PROCESS DUE TO THEIR MULTIPLE USES, AS THEY AIM
AT PROVIDING EMPLOYMENT, RAISING THEIR STANDARDS AND QUALITY OF LIFE.
DAMS HAVE TREMENDOUS POTENTIAL FOR ECONOMIC GROWTH AND UPLIFTMENT.
THEY HELP IN CHECKING FLOODS,FAMINES,GENERATE ELECTRICITY, REDUCE WATER AND
WATER SHORTAGE ,PROVIDE IRRIGATION,DRINKING WATER IN REMOTE AREAS, PROMOTE
NAVIGATION, FISHERY .

POSITIVE ECOLOGICAL IMPACTS

-REDUCTION IN FAMINES
-PREVENTION OF FLOODS
-PROMOTION OF PRODUCTIVITY IN
LOWER AREAS

IMPACT OF DAMS

NEGATIVE SOCIO-ECONOMIC IMPACTS

DOWNSTREAM IMPACTS
-SUBMERGENCE OF VILLAGES &FERTILE LANDS.
-OUTBREAK OF VECTOR BORNE DISEASES.
UPSTREAM IMPACTS
-DISPLACEMENT OF NATIVE PEOPLE
-RESETTLEMENT ISSUES.
CHANGE IN FISHERIES AND SPAWNING GROUNDS.

NEGATIVE ECOLOGICAL IMPACTS

DOWNSTREAM IMPACTS
-WATERLOGGING AND SALINITY,STAGNATION.
-FLASH FLOODS
-CHANGE IN WATER FLOW AND SITUATION
-RESERVOIR INDUCED SEISMICITY.
UPSTREAM IMPACTS
GROWTH OF AQUATIC WEEDS.
SILTATION AND SEDIMENTATION OF RESERVOIRS.
-DEFORESTATION AND LOSS OF BIODIVERSITY

POSITIVE SOCIO ECONOMIC

IMPACTS
-EMPLOYMENT
-ELECTRICITY GENERATTION
-IRRIGATION WATER SUPPLY
-DRINKING WATER SUPPLY
-PROMOTION OF NAVIGATION
-PROMOTION OF FISHERIES

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Kaushik,Anubha & C P Kaushik . Perspectives in environmental studies .new age
international limited.fourth edition-2014.pp 26-43
Dr.Sin Meng Srun. Global Environment Awareness .authorstream.2 july
2015.<http://authorstream.com/presentation/Maharonga-1321549-water resources>
<www.google.co.in/water.usgs.gov/edu/pictures>
G. Tyler Miller.Living in the Environment PPT.polytechpanthers.24 february 2014.2
july
2015.<http://www.polytechpanthers.com/ourpages/auto/2014/2/24/4644540/chapter
4>
Sathymoorthy G.another-river-breaches.indian express.19 august
2008<http://archive indianexpress.com/news-flood-situation-worsen-biharas=another-river-breaches>
Wikipedia.2005.july
2015<http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/maharastra_floods_of_2005>
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