Drainage System | Class 11 Geography Notes

Extent of Usability of River Water

India's rivers carry vast volumes of water annually, but this water is unevenly distributed both spatially and temporally. Some rivers are perennial, flowing throughout the year, while others are non-perennial, with water only during the rainy season and drying up otherwise.

During the rainy season, much of the water is wasted in floods and flows unused into the sea. At the same time, some regions suffer from drought due to lack of water. This uneven distribution raises the question: Is the problem one of water availability or water management?

One proposed solution is the inter-basin transfer of water, where surplus water from one basin is diverted to water-deficient basins. Several projects and schemes have been implemented or proposed for this purpose, including:

• Periyar Diversion Scheme
• Indira Gandhi Canal Project
• Kurnool-Cuddapah Canal
• Beas-Satluj Link Canal
• Ganga-Kaveri Link Canal

However, transferring water is not as simple as digging canals. The uneven terrain poses challenges in lifting and transporting water from plains to plateaus. Additionally, the availability of surplus water in northern rivers for regular transfer is a matter of debate.

Other problems in utilizing river water include:

(i) Insufficient quantity of water. (ii) Pollution of river water. (iii) High silt load in rivers. (iv) Uneven seasonal flow. (v) Inter-state river water disputes. (vi) Shrinking of river channels due to human settlements.

Pollution arises from domestic sewage, industrial effluents, religious activities, cremation grounds, and washing activities. Campaigns like the Ganga Action Plan and efforts to clean the Yamuna in Delhi aim to reduce pollution and restore river health.

Effective management of river water resources is essential for sustainable development, agriculture, and maintaining ecological balance.

🧪 Activity: Organize a debate on the pros and cons of river linking projects and prepare a write-up on challenges and solutions.

🔗 Connection: This section concludes the chapter and leads to exercises reinforcing the concepts learned.