Introduction
Water is a valuable resource used in agriculture, industries and domestic sphere. Water is a cyclic resource with abundant supply especially in Uttar Pradesh.
Classification
- Surface water
- River
- Lakes
- Reservoirs
- Groundwater
- Acquirers in alluvial plains
River Water Resources
The rivers of Uttar Pradesh can be divided into 3 categories –
- Originating from Himalayas such as Ganga, Yamuna, Ramganga, Sharda, Ghaghra, Rapti, Gandak etc.
- Originating from plateau area – such as Chambal, Sindh, Betwa, Ken, Tons, Son, Rihand etc.
- Marshy region such as Gomati.
Figure shows major rivers which are lifeline of Uttar Pradesh because they provide water for agriculture, domestic and industrial sector, alluvial soil and power through hydro electricity.
Lakes Water Resource
Lakes act as decentralized water resources, as they serve the water needs of villages, small towns and remote areas.
Forest Department of Uttar Pradesh is responsible for the maintenance of the lakes because several species of migratory birds like Siberian Crane, greater Flamingo, Surkhab flock etc. these lakes every year.
Water Reservoirs
There are various multi-purpose River Valley projects in Uttar Pradesh fulfilling various purposes like power generation, storage, drinking water supply and irrigation.
Ground water
Uttar Pradesh is the largest user of groundwater repositories. The large alluvial plain has porous soil, which is easily penetrable by surface water so there is very rich reservoir of groundwater, in the form of multiple aquifer system. However, Bundelkhand lacks ground water resource because it is plateau area.