Irrigation Methods

Question 1

Explain Shaduf

Answer 1

Conventional, hand operated. It lifts water from wells, rivers, etc with a bucket attached to one end of a pole and a weight in the other end.

Question 2

Advantages of shaduf

Answer 2

inexpensive and simple to make
Doesn’t require complex technology
Doesn’t require a lot of land/space

Question 3

Disadvantages of shaduf

Answer 3

1. Requires manual labour
2. Brings out less water
3. Only efficiently irrigates less land
4. Slow

Question 4

Explain tank irrigation

Answer 4

Conventional, Practiced by making mud banks across small streams to make a small reservoir which collects extra water during monsoon and from rain

Question 5

Advantages of tank irrigation

Answer 5

1. cheap to make
2. Prevents wastage of rainwater
3. Doesn’t require complex technology

Question 6

Disadvantages of tank irrigation

Answer 6

1. Banks regularly get silted and need to be desilted often
2. Unreliable because sometimes it doesn’t rain
3. Hard to make on rocky terrain

Question 7

Explain charsa

Answer 7

1. Banks regularly get silted and need to be desilted often
2. Unreliable because sometimes it doesn’t rain
3. Hard to make on rocky terrain

Question 8

Advantages of charsa

Answer 8

1. Does not rely on complicated technology
2. Does not create pollution
3. Simple does not require a lot of construction

Question 9

Disadvantages of charsa

Answer 9

1. Relies on animal power animal can get sick
2. Brings less water
3. Irrigates smaller areas
4. Cost of taking care of animals can be a lot

Question 10

Advantages of Persian wheel

Answer 10

1. Useful in hilly areas
2. Suitable for small scale farming
3. Cheap

Question 11

Disadvantages of persian wheel

Answer 11

1. Relies on animal power
2. Complicated to make
3. Many parts, can break easily, one part brings others do too
4. Cost of animals

Question 12

Explain persian wheel

Answer 12

Partly submerged wheel with attached buckets is turned by animals rotating a geared wheel. As it turns, buckets fill up and empty onto fields

Question 13

Explain kariz

Answer 13

Conventional, It consists of well like vertical shafts connected by sloping tunnels made underground in the foothills of mountains or their sloping sides. It transports underground water to the Surface without any pumping through gravity.

Question 14

Advantages of kariz

Answer 14

1. Allows water to be transported long distances in hot dry climates with less water loss
2. Resistant to most natural disasters
3. Eco friendly
4. Less expensive than modern methods because no need for pumping

Question 15

Disadvantages of kariz

Answer 15

1. Irrigates limited area
2. Needs skilled labour
3. Tunnels need maintenance because of silting
4. Hard to make on rocky terrain

Question 16

Explain inundation canals

Answer 16

Conventional, large canals are connected to large rivers. These collect water when river floods during monsoon.

Question 17

Advantages of inundation canals

Answer 17

1. Prevent wastage of flood water and limit destruction
2. Cheap to build
3. Water collected is rich in silt

Question 18

Disadvantages of inundation canals

Answer 18

1. Dependance on flooding
2. Only irrigate low lands
3. Siltation

Question 19

Explain Perennial canals

Answer 19

Modern, flow year round and draw water form perennial rivers/barrages and artificial reservoirs

Question 20

Advantages of perennial canals

Answer 20

1. Irrigation all year round
2. Irrigate large area
3. Cheap in the long run

Question 21

Disadvantages of perennial canals

Answer 21

1. Cause water logging, unproductive soil
2. Only low lying areas irrigates
3. Not beneficial in dry months
4. Depend on other rivers etc

Question 22

Explain Drip irrigation

Answer 22

Modern, Water is provided directly to the roots through a long pipe that is above the plants with drippers that drip water to the roots of the plant

Question 23

Advantages of drip irrigation

Answer 23

1. Saves water
2. Prevents disease by minimising water contact with leaves/plant etc
3. Decreases labour

Question 24

Disadvantages of drip irrigation

Answer 24

1. Initial cost is high
2. Clogging up easily
3. Sun affects tubes etc easily damaged

Question 25

Explain tubwells

Answer 25

Modern, They have electricity/diesel using pumps to get underground water

Question 26

Advantages of tubwells

Answer 26

1. Irrigate huge areas
2. Lower water table
3. No evaporation of water
4. Prevent water logging and salinity

Question 27

Disadvantages of tubwells

Answer 27

1. Depletion of ground water
2. Depends of amount of ground water
3. Expensive bc needs electricity

Question 28

Explain Sprinklers

Answer 28

Modern, Placed in Fields and spray water all over the area.

Question 29

Advantages of sprinklers

Answer 29

1. Less water wastage
2. No water logging and salinity
3. Efficient

Question 30

Disadvantages of sprinklers

Answer 30

1. Expensive
2. Can’t be used in windy climate
3. Costly to maintain

Question 31

Tankers

Answer 31

Modern, Get water from ponds and lakes and provide it to fields and homes

Question 32

Advantages of tankers

Answer 32

1. Good in case of emergency like drought
2. Good backup
3. Store water

Question 33

Disadvantages of tankers

Answer 33

1. Rarely useable for agriculture
2. Expenses
3. Depends on other water bodies