Water Scarcity and Management Quiz

A situation where water supplies are insufficient to meet the basic needs of a population, leading to shortages and difficulties accessing safe drinking water.

The natural cycle of water movement from the Earth's surface to the atmosphere and back again, involving processes like evaporation, condensation, precipitation, and infiltration.

The amount of water available in a region is influenced by factors like rainfall, seasonal variations, and the efficiency of water management.

The extraction and use of groundwater exceeding its replenishment rate, leading to depletion of underground water sources.

A type of water scarcity where there is simply not enough water to meet the needs of the population. This is often caused by factors such as drought or low rainfall.

A type of water scarcity where the available water is polluted and unsafe for drinking or agriculture. This could be caused by industrial waste, sewage, or agricultural runoff.

The use of water for irrigation in agriculture, which accounts for a large proportion of overall water consumption.

The rapid increase in industrial activities leads to greater demand for both water and energy, putting additional pressure on water resources.

The depletion of groundwater resources due to excessive pumping, often seen in urban housing societies.

A government program aimed at addressing water stress in rural areas by promoting water conservation and smart water management.

Ensuring that every rural household has access to safe drinking water through piped connections, providing a minimum of 55 liters per person per day.

The practice of using water resources sustainably to prevent depletion and maintain their quality for future generations.

The process of planning and managing water resources to meet current and future needs while considering ecological and economic factors.

The contamination of water sources by pollutants such as sewage, industrial waste, chemicals, and agricultural runoff.

Sophisticated water harvesting systems used in ancient India, often channeling flood water into reservoirs or irrigation channels.

Artificial lakes created to store water for various purposes, such as irrigation, and often integrate multiple uses.

Dams were initially built to hold back water for agricultural needs. However, their uses have expanded.

Modern dams are designed to meet many needs beyond irrigation, including power generation, water supply, and even recreation.

Large dams and river regulation can negatively affect natural river processes, hindering sediment flow and making it tough for aquatic life to thrive.

Using dams for power generation, water supply, irrigation, and even flood control highlights the multiple benefits they offer.

The Bhakra-Nangal project, utilizing the Sutluj-Beas river basin, showcases how water can be used for both power and irrigation.

The Hirakud project, located in the Mahanadi basin, demonstrates the connection between water conservation and flood control.

Multipurpose projects, crucial for India's development, have been hailed as 'temples of modern India'.

A large water project in India spanning four states (Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, and Rajasthan), aimed at providing water to drought-prone areas and improving irrigation.

Techniques capturing and storing rainwater for various purposes, such as recharging groundwater, reducing runoff, and supplementing water needs.

Traditional water-harvesting methods in ancient India that utilized knowledge of rainfall patterns and soil types to capture and manage rainwater, groundwater, river water, and floodwater.

Diversion channels in the Western Himalayas, used to direct water for agriculture.

A water harvesting technique practiced in Rajasthan where rooftops were used to collect and store drinking water.

Channels constructed in the floodplains of Bengal to irrigate agricultural fields.

Rain-fed storage structures, like 'khadins' in Jaisalmer and 'johads' in other parts of Rajasthan, that allow water to stand and moisten the soil.

The practice of converting agricultural fields into structures that capture and hold water, like 'khadins' and 'johads', used in arid and semi-arid regions of India.

Large dams built for multiple purposes (like irrigation, power generation, and flood control) can cause environmental problems like vegetation loss, soil degradation, and displacement of communities.

Creating reservoirs on floodplains can lead to the destruction of existing vegetation and soil fertility, as the natural flow of water and silt is disrupted.

Traditional underground tanks in Rajasthan, used for storing drinking water, connected to rooftops by a pipe for rainwater harvesting.

Dams, despite being built to control floods, can ironically trigger floods due to sedimentation build-up in the reservoir, impairing its capacity.

A system in Meghalaya, using bamboo pipes to divert spring water from hilltops to lower reaches, using gravity for irrigation.

Rainwater harvesting increases water availability, replenishes groundwater, reduces soil erosion and floods.

The construction of dams can lead to displacement of local communities who have to give up their land, livelihood, and access to resources, often resulting in social movements and protests.

In traditional Rajasthan homes, rainwater from the rooftops was collected through pipes into underground tankas.

Irrigation projects, often linked to dams and water diversion, can alter cropping patterns, leading to increased use of water-intensive crops, which can cause soil salinization.

The first rainfall is usually not collected in Rajasthan's tankas, allowing for cleaning of the roof and pipes.

Dams and irrigation projects can create inter-state disputes over water sharing, as different regions compete for access to the same water resources.

Meghalaya's bamboo irrigation system uses gravity to direct spring water through bamboo pipes to plants.

Irrigation has changed the cropping pattern by encouraging water-intensive crops, leading to a growing gap between landowners who benefit and landless people who struggle.

Traditional rainwater harvesting is a reliable source of drinking water in arid regions, especially during dry summers.

Multi-purpose projects, including dams, have been linked to induced earthquakes, water-borne diseases, pest spread, and pollution from excessive water use.

Homes in Rajasthan often built underground rooms near the tankas to stay cool during summer.