Environmental Studies · Geography

Water Conservation and Management

2,859 Questions

Water conservation and management questions evaluate techniques for preserving water resources, traditional harvesting methods, and modern irrigation systems. Topics include wastewater treatment, groundwater extraction, and the economic role of wetlands. These concepts are essential for environmental studies and geography exams.

Irrigation MethodsWater HarvestingWastewater ManagementHydropower PlantsWetlands ConservationUrban Water Quality

Water Conservation and Management Questions

Multiple choice
  1. rainfall

  2. rivers

  3. ground water

  4. All of the above

Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Irrigation in India comes from multiple sources - rainfall (monsoon dependence), rivers (canals and diversion), and groundwater (wells and tube wells). All three sources are used either individually or in combination depending on the region and infrastructure available.

Multiple choice
  1. Wells

  2. Ponds

  3. Canals

  4. None of these

Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

Canals are considered the most suitable means of large-scale irrigation as they can serve vast areas, support multiple crops, and provide reliable water supply. Wells and ponds are more localized and limited in their coverage. Canals are essential for agricultural productivity in major farming regions.

Multiple choice
  1. all kinds of water

  2. pond water

  3. stagnant fresh water

  4. fresh flowing water

  5. none of the above

Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Lotic refers to free fresh flowing water.

Multiple choice
  1. the rain water which moves downwards in response to the force of gravity

  2. the portion of water which is free to move between the soil particles

  3. a very thin film of water seen around each soil particle

  4. the water available to the plants

Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

Hygroscopic water exists as a very thin molecular film around each soil particle, held so tightly by imbibition forces that plants cannot absorb it. Gravitational water drains freely. Capillary water is available water between soil particles. Available water refers to water plants can actually use.

Multiple choice
  1. Canals

  2. Wells

  3. Tubewells

  4. Tanks

Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Wells (including tube wells) are the largest source of irrigation in India, accounting for about 50-60% of total irrigated area. They are widely used because they are dependable, can be dug or drilled anywhere with adequate groundwater, and provide water on demand. Canals, tanks, and other sources cover the remaining irrigated area.

Multiple choice
  1. sea

  2. sewage

  3. springs

  4. rivers

Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

Springs are natural outlets where underground water under pressure flows to the surface. Sewage refers to wastewater, rivers are surface water channels, and the sea is a large body of salt water - none of these represent underground water emerging naturally.

Multiple choice
  1. surface water

  2. underground water

  3. sea water

  4. water vapours

Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

When water percolates through soil and rock layers, it becomes groundwater or underground water. Surface water refers to water above ground like lakes and rivers, sea water is saline ocean water, and water vapours are gaseous water in the atmosphere.

Multiple choice

Directions: Answer the following questions with the appropriate information from the passage. Write your answer:

Yes: If the statement admits what the writer says No: If the statement contradicts what the writer says Not Given: If nothing has been mentioned by the writer.

Scarcity of water is in Metropolitan areas.

Directions: Answer the given question based on the following passage:

PRECIOUS RESOURCE

While India is aspiring to become a global power, most of its citizens do not even have the basic amenity of adequate water supply. During the Last seven years, nearly 1.5 lakh villages have lost access to water supply. According to the Comptroller and Auditor –General’s report, while 85 percent of rural India is dependent on ground water, the environmental degradation and reduced recharges have made most underground sources ineffectual. Water scarcity ails most Indian states and is a pressing problem facing both the rural and urban areas.
One of the major causes of water shortage has been the diminishing water-table, which has been consistently falling due to indiscriminate water exploitation. In grain-surplus states of  Punjab and Haryana, with over 20-lakh tube wells and pumps, water-tables have gone 1600 feet deeper. The ground water levels plummeting, Punjab, the food bowl of India, can turn into a desert. The Punjab government’s curb on the early sowing of water-intensive rice is appreciable, but it has to be regulated further-more. The state government, instead of following appeasement policies like free electricity to farmers, should find suitable steps to augment water resources. To arrest the water –table, Haryana is planning a joint project with the Centre. In Sirsa district, a pilot project involving recharge and storage tanks has already been initiated

Indeed, water is too precious a resource and India and its states cannot afford to fritter it away. The Central government has been spending crores of rupees on water conservation, yet little attention is being paid to harvesting rainwater, even though it is estimated that if 5 percent of the rainwater is harvested annually, it could produce 900 million liters of water, The Centre’s initiative to make it mandatory for people to recharge underground water needs to be implemented with greater earnestness. Concerted government efforts must seek community participation, and the revival of the traditional water sources has to be encouraged

 

 

  1. Yes

  2. No

  3. Not Given

Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

The passage explicitly states that 'Water scarcity ails most Indian states and is a pressing problem facing both the rural and urban areas.' The statement 'Scarcity of water is in Metropolitan areas' suggests it is only in metropolitan areas, which contradicts the writer's claim that it affects both rural AND urban areas.

Multiple choice

Directions: Answer the following questions with the appropriate information from the passage. Write your answer:

Yes: If the statement admits what the writer says No: If the statement contradicts what the writer says Not Given: If nothing has been mentioned by the writer.

Augment refers to deduction in something.

Directions: Answer the given question based on the following passage:

PRECIOUS RESOURCE

While India is aspiring to become a global power, most of its citizens do not even have the basic amenity of adequate water supply. During the Last seven years, nearly 1.5 lakh villages have lost access to water supply. According to the Comptroller and Auditor –General’s report, while 85 percent of rural India is dependent on ground water, the environmental degradation and reduced recharges have made most underground sources ineffectual. Water scarcity ails most Indian states and is a pressing problem facing both the rural and urban areas.
One of the major causes of water shortage has been the diminishing water-table, which has been consistently falling due to indiscriminate water exploitation. In grain-surplus states of  Punjab and Haryana, with over 20-lakh tube wells and pumps, water-tables have gone 1600 feet deeper. The ground water levels plummeting, Punjab, the food bowl of India, can turn into a desert. The Punjab government’s curb on the early sowing of water-intensive rice is appreciable, but it has to be regulated further-more. The state government, instead of following appeasement policies like free electricity to farmers, should find suitable steps to augment water resources. To arrest the water –table, Haryana is planning a joint project with the Centre. In Sirsa district, a pilot project involving recharge and storage tanks has already been initiated

Indeed, water is too precious a resource and India and its states cannot afford to fritter it away. The Central government has been spending crores of rupees on water conservation, yet little attention is being paid to harvesting rainwater, even though it is estimated that if 5 percent of the rainwater is harvested annually, it could produce 900 million liters of water, The Centre’s initiative to make it mandatory for people to recharge underground water needs to be implemented with greater earnestness. Concerted government efforts must seek community participation, and the revival of the traditional water sources has to be encouraged

 

 

  1. Yes

  2. No

  3. Not Given

Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

The passage states 'should find suitable steps to augment water resources' in the context of increasing water resources. Augment means to make greater or add to, which is the opposite of deduction (reduction). Therefore, the statement 'Augment refers to deduction in something' contradicts the writer's usage.

Multiple choice

Directions: Answer the following questions with the appropriate information from the passage. Write your answer:

Yes: If the statement admits what the writer says No: If the statement contradicts what the writer says Not Given: If nothing has been mentioned by the writer.

State government is taking sound steps for the conservation of water with the collaboration of Central Government.

Directions: Answer the given question based on the following passage:

PRECIOUS RESOURCE

While India is aspiring to become a global power, most of its citizens do not even have the basic amenity of adequate water supply. During the Last seven years, nearly 1.5 lakh villages have lost access to water supply. According to the Comptroller and Auditor –General’s report, while 85 percent of rural India is dependent on ground water, the environmental degradation and reduced recharges have made most underground sources ineffectual. Water scarcity ails most Indian states and is a pressing problem facing both the rural and urban areas.
One of the major causes of water shortage has been the diminishing water-table, which has been consistently falling due to indiscriminate water exploitation. In grain-surplus states of  Punjab and Haryana, with over 20-lakh tube wells and pumps, water-tables have gone 1600 feet deeper. The ground water levels plummeting, Punjab, the food bowl of India, can turn into a desert. The Punjab government’s curb on the early sowing of water-intensive rice is appreciable, but it has to be regulated further-more. The state government, instead of following appeasement policies like free electricity to farmers, should find suitable steps to augment water resources. To arrest the water –table, Haryana is planning a joint project with the Centre. In Sirsa district, a pilot project involving recharge and storage tanks has already been initiated

Indeed, water is too precious a resource and India and its states cannot afford to fritter it away. The Central government has been spending crores of rupees on water conservation, yet little attention is being paid to harvesting rainwater, even though it is estimated that if 5 percent of the rainwater is harvested annually, it could produce 900 million liters of water, The Centre’s initiative to make it mandatory for people to recharge underground water needs to be implemented with greater earnestness. Concerted government efforts must seek community participation, and the revival of the traditional water sources has to be encouraged

 

 

  1. Yes

  2. No

  3. Not Given

Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

The passage mentions only Haryana's joint project with the Centre and a pilot project in Sirsa district. While this shows collaboration between one state government and the Central Government, the statement generalizes about 'State government' in general, which is not supported by the passage.

Multiple choice

Directions: Answer the following questions with the appropriate information from the passage. Write your answer:

Yes: If the statement admits what the writer says No: If the statement contradicts what the writer says Not Given: If nothing has been mentioned by the writer.

Water table refers to the level at which the ground water pressure is higher than the atmospheric pressure.

Directions: Answer the given question based on the following passage:

PRECIOUS RESOURCE

While India is aspiring to become a global power, most of its citizens do not even have the basic amenity of adequate water supply. During the Last seven years, nearly 1.5 lakh villages have lost access to water supply. According to the Comptroller and Auditor –General’s report, while 85 percent of rural India is dependent on ground water, the environmental degradation and reduced recharges have made most underground sources ineffectual. Water scarcity ails most Indian states and is a pressing problem facing both the rural and urban areas.
One of the major causes of water shortage has been the diminishing water-table, which has been consistently falling due to indiscriminate water exploitation. In grain-surplus states of  Punjab and Haryana, with over 20-lakh tube wells and pumps, water-tables have gone 1600 feet deeper. The ground water levels plummeting, Punjab, the food bowl of India, can turn into a desert. The Punjab government’s curb on the early sowing of water-intensive rice is appreciable, but it has to be regulated further-more. The state government, instead of following appeasement policies like free electricity to farmers, should find suitable steps to augment water resources. To arrest the water –table, Haryana is planning a joint project with the Centre. In Sirsa district, a pilot project involving recharge and storage tanks has already been initiated

Indeed, water is too precious a resource and India and its states cannot afford to fritter it away. The Central government has been spending crores of rupees on water conservation, yet little attention is being paid to harvesting rainwater, even though it is estimated that if 5 percent of the rainwater is harvested annually, it could produce 900 million liters of water, The Centre’s initiative to make it mandatory for people to recharge underground water needs to be implemented with greater earnestness. Concerted government efforts must seek community participation, and the revival of the traditional water sources has to be encouraged

 

 

  1. Yes

  2. No

  3. Not Given

Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer