Unit 1: Water Education - Environment and Ecosystem PDF

# Unit 1: Water Education ## Chapter 1: Environment and Ecosystem - The environment is a balance of biotic, abiotic, geographical, and social factors that affect each other. - Food, clothing, and shelter are basic human needs and depend on the environment. ### 1. Natural Environment - The variou...

# Unit 1: Water Education ## Chapter 1: Environment and Ecosystem - The environment is a balance of biotic, abiotic, geographical, and social factors that affect each other. - Food, clothing, and shelter are basic human needs and depend on the environment. ### 1. Natural Environment - The various elements that are naturally formed on Earth's surface are part of the environment. - It signifies diversity in the natural environment. - For example: water, air, soil, forest, animals, biological elements, climate, and atmosphere. ### 2. Man-made Environment - Humans have made radical changes in the natural environment on the strength of their intellect. - Examples: settlements, transportation by various means like roads, waterways, railways, etc., and industrial development. ### Ecosystem - The relationship between abiotic and biotic elements and their interaction is called an ecosystem. - Relationships between the different elements like specific locality, area, size, climate, topography, rock-land, water flow systems define the types of ecosystem. #### Types of Ecosystems 1. **Land Ecosystem:** grasslands, forests, deserts. 2. **Aquatic Ecosystem:** river ecosystem, marine ecosystem, lake ecosystem. - Human intervention is causing huge damage to the ecosystem. ### Activity **Complete the given chart:** | Ecosystem | Abiotic Components | Biotic Components | |-------------------|--------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | | **Physical components** | **Producers** | | | e.g., air, water, vapor, minerals, soil, sunlight | Green plants | | | **Thermal components** | **Consumers** | | | | *Primary Consumer:* insects | | | **Inorganic component** | | | | e.g., hydrogen, oxygen, calcium, iron, sodium, | *Secondary Consumer:* birds | | | potassium | | | | **Organic substances** | **Decomposers** | | | e.g., protein…. carbohydrates, fats… | Microorganisms | | | | *Tertiary Consumer:* e.g., snakes | # Chapter 2: Cultural Heritage of Water Wisdom - Water has a unique significance in Indian culture. - The _Rigveda_, _Yajurveda_, and _Atharvaveda_ mention the construction of dams to block river water, canals to supply water to remote areas, and wells. - While studying the cultural heritage of water wisdom, we can study the ancient water culture on the banks of the river Saraswati, as well as the writings of _Varāhamihira_ and _Parāśara Muni_. - These include ancient water distribution systems and water storage systems like lakes and ponds. - Many of these ancient structures have disappeared. ### Examples of cultural heritage of water management/water storage # Chapter 3: Measurement of Water - Groundwater resources need to be measured properly in order to be preserved properly. - The device used to measure rainfall is called a rain gauge. ### Rain gauge structure - It consists of a cylindrical flat-bottom measuring cylinder. - Part of the cylinder is buried in the ground, while the other part sits above ground and contains a glass bottle to store water. - Inside this cylinder is another cylinder that can be removed and holds the glass bottle. - The top part of the rain gauge is made of funnel shape, with a diameter of 127 mm and a height of 110mm. - The rain water that falls on the funnel mouth comes down through a narrow tube and collects in the cylindrical vessel. - The diameter of the funnel pipe is made very small so that the rainwater does not evaporate. ### How to measure water - The height of the water should be documented by looking at the lower edge of the water level. - The water can be measured by dipping a water-proof plastic calibrated strip in the bottled water. - In some places, the water in the daily rain gauge is measured several times in a day. - Similarly, weekly and monthly rain gauges have been made. - The cylindrical vessels for storing water are larger in those. ### How to determine the amount of rainfall - To get an accurate measurement of rainfall, you can also weigh the collected water. - This helps avoid inaccuracies caused by water sticking to the pots while pouring water from one to another. # What is a water plan? - A water plan is a calculation of the amount of water that is blocked in the catchment area each year, how much seeps into the ground, how much evaporates, how much is extracted from the ground, and how much is available for human consumption. ## Water plan set-up - To underline the information of measurement of rainfall in village, determination of observation for keeping ground water level records, fixation of wells obtaining a map of village and drawing of flow of stream (nale) on it, types of soil-rocks in village, places suitable for recharge, suitable place obstruction of river-rivulets-water flow, storage of surface water, well, bore well, etc. - To be able to present water plan by collecting information of to know the crops taken in the last three years and information of current year's kharif crop, crops grown by wells and bore wells and information of number of power pumps used for it and horsepower, details of drinking water sources, details of the scheme and the water available through it, village population and animals. The work is done in different stages while preparing the water plan. # Chapter 2: Development of Watershed Area - The whole farmland of the village is not flat. - Many types of hilly lands are found in the village. - The area which naturally flows from the mountains through small streams and flows through a nallah is called the watershed area. ## Factors to consider when developing a watershed area. 1. Rainfall and climate in watershed area. 2. Size, slope and structure of watershed area. 3. Network of rivers/streams, type and its proportion. 4. Type of land (light, medium, heavy). 5. The thickness of soil layers found after digging of land. 6. Geological conditions: types of rocks, decomposition, cracks and joints in the soil. 7. Availability of spreading of groundwater. 8. The rate of water seeps into the soil. 9. Properties and scope of water retaining rocks. 10. Types of surrounding trees and shrubs, grass and shrubs cover on the ground. 11. Information on how and to what extent land is used and types of land use. ## Treatment methods for the development of watershed area. 1. **Continuous Contour Trenches (CCT)** 2. **Loose Boulder Structure.** 3. **Nala Bunding** 4. **Vanrai Check Dam** 5. **Gabion Check Dam** 6. **Loop Bunding** 7. **Farm Pond.** # Unit 2: Water Conservation ## Chapter 3: Water Conservation and Public Participation - Water is the most important property on Earth and is the origin of all living things. - Because of its uneven distribution and allocation, increasing demand, and difficulty in management, water has become a scarcity. - Water conservation schemes, which aim to improve water availability, are implemented at the local, collective, and individual levels. - There are also schemes that are implemented at the state and central government levels as well as with the joint participation of central and state government. - Local self-government bodies play a significant role in implementing these schemes. - Any problem or public work is not successful without the participation of the many. - Help from the community in the form of time, labor, skills, financial support, etc. is crucial. ## Steps to achieve water conservation through public participation **Step 1: Public participation- planning and preparation of action plan.** 1. Discuss the importance of the activity and needs. 2. Decide goals. 3. Make an outline of the action program. 4. Plan in detail. **Step II: Implementation of planning (Activity proceedings).** 1. Direct evaluation - inspection of work. 2. Discuss and report. 3. Give information on completion of activities to others. 4. Acknowledgement/congratulations to the participants. **Step III: Evaluate the activity and check the productivity.** 1. Give instructions to everyone. 2. Explain the information. 3. Distribute work. 4. Do the action. 5. Control the action. 6. Guide. 7. Review completed work. 8. Get feedback on the work done. - The goal is to come together to investigate the problems, do proper planning, implement the planning, evaluate the progress from time to time, and work to resolve the problems.