Maharashtra Board Class 4 EVS Chapter 3 Storage of Water PDF Download

Storage Of Water

Try This

1. Make a small hillock of mud and stones in the school yard. Set some stones into the hillock. Pour water over the hillock from a watering can, like rain. Use the following points to study how the water flows over the hillock.

In which direction does the water flow?

How does water flow on the steeper slopes?

How does it flow on the gentler slopes?

What happens when the stones cause an obstruction?

Where do puddles form?

When does the direction of flow change?

2. Now stop watering the hillock. Make observations using the following points:

Why did the hillock dry when we stopped pouring water?

How long did the hillock take to dry?

Which part of the hillock dried quickly?

Which part took longer to dry?

Why did it take longer to dry?

You will realize that some rainwater flows away over the ground. Some water seeps into the ground. All the water we get comes from the rain. The rainy season lasts for three or four months. Along with us, all living things use this water all year round.

If we do not store water, we will not have enough water for our needs. That is why, we have to save water. Water must be used economically. In this lesson, we will see different ways of storing water.

Old Water Stores

In the olden days, several methods of storing water were used in our State. Nowadays, these old water stores are rarely used. However, their remains can be seen in all places. Some of them are very beautiful. Water in some of these stores never gets depleted.

1. Wells

Some rainwater seeps into the ground. Wells are dug to obtain this water.

Teacher's Note

Wells are very important in villages. In India, many villages use wells to get water from underground.

Exam Trick

Remember: Wells store rainwater that goes deep into the ground. Think of it like a bank for water underground.

Points To Remember

Wells are dug deep into the ground.
Rainwater seeps into the ground and fills wells.
Wells can have water all year round.
Wells are still used in many Indian villages.

2. Water Tanks In Forts

People lived on the hill forts in the past. They also needed water. The forts had reservoirs and tanks dug into the stone.

3. Draw-wells (Aad)

In the past, draw-wells were dug to get drinking water. They were small wells from which water was drawn using a small pot (pohra) tied to a rope.

Atpadi in Sangli district had a draw-well in every Wada. The draw-wells had water all year round. When the tap-water system was introduced, the draw-wells went out of use. Many were sealed. Now there are very few left in Atpadi. This can be seen in many villages.

Teacher's Note

Draw-wells were common in old India. Even today, some villages use draw-wells to get water.

Exam Trick

Remember: Draw-well = Aad = small well with a rope and pot. Like old water ATMs in villages.

Points To Remember

Draw-wells are small wells dug for drinking water.
Water is drawn using a pot tied to a rope.
Draw-wells had water all year round.
Modern tap water systems replaced draw-wells.

4. Rivers And Bunds

Earthen or masonry bunds were built across rivers to store their water.

5. Old Reservoirs

Reservoirs were built in areas of low rainfall or in areas without a major river. Most of the reservoirs were built using stone and mortar.

6. Old Tanks (Houd)

Earlier, tanks were used to store water. Some large cities still have these old tanks. Some of them are still in use.

Find out if your locality has such old water storage systems.

Teacher's Note

Old tanks and reservoirs show how smart our ancestors were. They built these to last for hundreds of years.

Exam Trick

Remember: Old water stores like tanks, wells, and bunds = built by Indians long ago without modern machines.

Points To Remember

Old tanks and reservoirs stored water for cities and villages.
They were built with stone and mortar.
Some old water stores still work today.
These show how Indians managed water long ago.

What's The Solution?

Savani and Ameya get tap water in their house. As a result, the water from the draw-well which had been used since the old days is not used any longer. Because of this, grandmother is upset. Suggest how Savani and Ameya can use the draw-well water for purposes other than drinking.

Recent Systems

1. Dams

The most important of all recent water storages is the dam. Dams made it possible to store huge quantities of water. As a result, more land was brought under cultivation. Cities began to grow. It became possible to set up factories and generate electricity. Maharashtra has several large dams such as Jayakwadi, Koyna, Ujni and Yeldari.

Find out exactly where these dams are located on the physical map given in your textbook.

2. Borewells

Earlier, wells were dug to reach the water under the ground, but it was not possible to draw deep-seated ground water. Now, with the help of electric pumps, it is possible to do so. Borewells are dug for this purpose. These wells are very deep, but very narrow.

Teacher's Note

Borewells help farmers in dry areas get water from deep underground. In Maharashtra, many farmers use borewells.

Exam Trick

Remember: Borewell = very deep and very narrow hole. Like a needle going deep into the ground to find water.

Points To Remember

Borewells are very deep but very narrow.
Electric pumps help bring water from borewells.
Borewells reach water deep underground.
Dams store huge amounts of water in one place.
Dams help cities grow and give electricity.

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