Page 43 - SST Class 04

Agricultural use Domestic use Industrial use

Sources of Irrigation
Irrigation is an important need. For this, a very large amount of water is needed. To

water the crops, there are used different means, the important ones being the following :
1. Wells and Tube-wells : Rainwater and river water seep into the ground and become
groundwater. The level of groundwater is called water table . This is an important
source of water. We can get this water by wells and tube-wells.

A well is a hole in the ground from where water is drawn using a rope, a Persian
wheel or an electric motor. You can see wells in North India, especially in the states of

Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Maharashtra. In these states, the soil is soft,
so wells can be dug easily.
At present, groundwater is being used on a very large scale. So, the water table has
fallen. It is not possible to dig very deep wells, so tube-wells are used. A tube-well is a

deep hole that is bored into the ground to draw water with the help of electric motors.

Well Persian wheel Tube-well Pond Canal
2. Tanks and Ponds : Wells cannot be dug where the earth is hard and rocky, like in
the Deccan Plateau. In such places, rainwater is stored in tanks and ponds for
irrigation and other purposes. A tank or pond is like a large pit in the ground. We can

find tanks in the states of Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu.
3. Rivers and Canals : There are a large number of rivers in India. They are an
important means of irrigation. Still there are places where river water cannot be
supplied directly, so canals have been dug from rivers to provide river water for

irrigation to different places. A number of canals have been dug in North India.

India : Water Resources 43