CUET UG Geography Booster Test 2-Water Resources in India

According to NCERT geography, approximately 71 percent of the earth's surface is covered with water, but out of this vast amount, freshwater constitutes only about 3 per cent of the total water. Out of this tiny 3% allocation, an even smaller fraction is effectively accessible for human use because the bulk remains locked in continental ice sheets and glaciers. This critical physical limitation directly generates localized resource scarcity, cross-border water conflicts, and interstate river sharing disputes. The alternative numbers represent other distinct variables: 71% is global surface water coverage, 4% is India's global share of water resources, and 17% is India's share of the global population. Therefore, Option A is the correct answer.

India accounts for approximately 4% of the world's freshwater resources while supporting nearly 17% of the global population, making Statement 1 correct. The country's total utilisable water resources are estimated at 1,122 cubic km, obtained by combining 690 cubic km of utilizable surface water with 432 cubic km of utilizable groundwater, making Statement 2 correct. However, India's total annual precipitation is about 4,000 cubic km, and only a fraction of this is utilisable because of evaporation, infiltration, topographical constraints, and uneven spatial and temporal distribution. Therefore, Statement 3 is incorrect. The disparity between population share and water-resource share highlights the country's growing water stress, making Statement 4 correct. Hence, Option B is the correct answer.

The total estimated mean annual flow of 1,869 cubic km across India's surface basins is based on an inventory of 10,360 rivers and their accompanying tributaries. To be included in this calculation, each individual river channel or tributary must meet the specific requirement of being longer than 1.6 km. The other choices represent characteristics of specific river systems, but they are not the general baseline criteria used for the national inventory. For instance, many rivers flow into the Bay of Bengal rather than the Arabian Sea, and many peninsular streams are seasonal rather than perennial. This makes Option B the correct choice.

India receives approximately 4,000 cubic km of water annually through precipitation, making 1 → a. However, because of evaporation, runoff into the sea, uneven distribution, and technical constraints, only 1,122 cubic km is considered utilisable, making 2 → b. Of this utilisable water, 690 cubic km is available as utilisable surface water, making 3 → c, while 432 cubic km comes from utilisable groundwater, making 4 → d. Thus, the correct matching is 1-a, 2-b, 3-c, 4-d, corresponding to Option A.

The total mean annual flow across all of India's river basins is 1,869 cubic km. Due to limitations imposed by rugged terrain, seasonal monsoons, and engineering challenges, we cannot capture all of this water. The total amount we can actually use across surface and ground systems combined is 1,122 cubic km. When you calculate the percentage, 1,122 cubic km represents roughly 60 percent of the initial 1,869 cubic km natural surface flow (1122 / 1869 ≈ 60%).This mathematical relationship identifies 1,869 cubic km as the correct starting value, matching Option A.

To arrange these metrics in descending order (from highest volume to lowest volume), we can look at their specific values from the textbook: Total water from precipitation is the largest at 4,000 cubic km (Indicator 2). The combined utilizable water resource from surface and ground systems is the next largest at 1,122 cubic km (Indicator 3). The utilizable surface water on its own is the smallest of the three at 690 cubic km (Indicator 1). Arranging them from highest to lowest yields the sequence 2 → 3 → 1, which matches Option A.

The Ganga basin receives abundant monsoonal rainfall and is further sustained by snow and glacier melt from the Himalayas, making Statement 1 correct. Owing to its vast catchment area, large discharge, and the technical challenges of fully utilizing its flow, a substantial proportion of its annual water remains unharnessed, making Statement 2 correct. Statement 3 is incorrect because the Ganga basin possesses one of the highest surface water potentials in India, not a lower one than peninsular basins. Statement 4 is correct because many southern river systems, such as the Krishna, Cauvery, and Godavari, have already harnessed a much larger proportion of their available water through dams, reservoirs, and canal networks. Therefore, the correct answer is Option B.

The Ganga, Brahmaputra, and Barak basins contain roughly 60% of India's total surface water resources while covering only about a third of its land area. The primary reason for this high concentration of water is that their catchment areas receive high rainfall from the Southwest Monsoon, which is further supplemented by meltwater from Himalayan glaciers. Ocean backwaters only affect localized coastal lagoons, these rivers are primarily fed by rain and ice rather than groundwater alone, and evaporation occurs across all open water bodies. This makes Option B the correct choice.

The Godavari and Krishna basins have witnessed extensive construction of dams, reservoirs, and canal systems, resulting in a high proportion of their annual water flow being utilised, making Statement 1 correct. The Brahmaputra basin, despite carrying enormous volumes of water, remains largely unharnessed because of its rugged Himalayan terrain, steep gradients, frequent floods, and engineering challenges, making Statement 2 correct. Statement 3 is incorrect because the Himalayan river systems, including the Ganga and Brahmaputra, possess significantly greater surface water potential than the peninsular rivers. Statement 4 is also correct, as the difficult topography and heavy sediment load have constrained large-scale water resource development in the Brahmaputra basin. Therefore, the correct answer is Option B.

While northern river basins like the Ganga, Brahmaputra, and Barak still have substantial unharnessed water flows, southern peninsular basins have been heavily developed. Rivers like the Godavari and Kaveri have had most of their annual runoff captured through dams and canal networks to support intensive agriculture in their deltas. The Brahmaputra and Barak are northern/northeastern systems, and the Yamuna is a major northern tributary of the Ganga. This makes Option C the correct choice.

India's replenishable groundwater resources are estimated at 432 cubic km, making 1 → a. The utilisable surface water resource is 690 cubic km, making 2 → b. Together, these constitute the total utilisable water resource of 1,122 cubic km, giving 3 → c. The country receives approximately 4,000 cubic km of water annually through precipitation, making 4 → d. Therefore, the correct matching is 1-a, 2-b, 3-c, 4-d, corresponding to Option A.

A high level of groundwater utilization means that water is being drawn out of aquifers at a rate close to or exceeding their natural annual recharge. In the north-western region (such as Punjab and Haryan A), intensive tubewell irrigation for water-demanding crops has put immense pressure on underground reserves. If extraction rates continue to outpace natural replenishment, it will lead to severe groundwater depletion, falling water tables, and rising pumping costs. Aquifers are not infinite, these regions use a large share of their potential, and the extraction is driven primarily by farming rather than a balance with industry. This makes Option B the correct choice.

India's states can be sorted into clear tiers based on their groundwater development. Haryana is in the high-utilization tier, over-exploiting its aquifers for intensive crop production and facing notable depletion risks. Uttar Pradesh is in the moderate tier, with balanced extraction across its large farming areas. Kerala is in the low-tier, extracting only a small fraction of its replenishable groundwater thanks to abundant surface water and rainfall. Arranging them from highest use to lowest use gives the sequence 1 → 2 → 3, which matches Option C.

Statement 1 is correct because Tamil Nadu and Rajasthan are among the states with very high groundwater utilisation, driven by intensive irrigation and increasing water demand. Statement 2 is also correct because if groundwater extraction continues to exceed natural recharge, water demand will surpass available supply, leading to agricultural distress, economic losses, and social challenges. Statement 3 is incorrect because high groundwater utilisation does not imply abundant groundwater resources; rather, it often indicates intensive withdrawal that may be unsustainable. Statement 4 is correct because excessive groundwater extraction lowers the water table, increases pumping costs, and can trigger environmental problems such as land degradation and declining water quality. Therefore, Statements 1, 2, and 4 are correct, making Option B the correct answer.

The provided passage notes that while Maharashtra utilizes its groundwater resources at a moderate rate overall, localized over-withdrawal creates notable challenges. Specifically, the text states that "over withdrawals in some states, like Rajasthan and Maharashtra, has increased fluoride concentration in groundwater." Drawing down the water table alters aquifer pressures and causes fluoride minerals to leach into the water supply. Arsenic contamination is a separate issue that affects West Bengal and Bihar, while soil salinity is not the focus of this section of the text. This makes Option B the correct choice.

The provided passage explicitly states that groundwater over-withdrawal "has led to increase in concentration of arsenic in parts of West Bengal and Bihar." In the alluvial plains of the Ganga basin, heavy pumping alters aquifer chemistry, causing naturally occurring arsenic in the sediment layers to dissolve into the well water supply. Fluoride contamination is a separate issue linked to Rajasthan and Maharashtra, while lead and nitrates are not mentioned in the text. This makes Option B the correct choice.

States like Kerala and Odisha receive high annual rainfall from the monsoons and possess significant surface water assets like rivers and coastal lagoons. Because they rely heavily on these surface resources and have less intensive tubewell-based commercial farming, they utilize only a small fraction of their total replenishable groundwater potential. In contrast, Punjab and Haryana over-exploit their groundwater, and Rajasthan is an arid state with high extraction rates. This makes Option C the correct choice.

Because Chhattisgarh utilizes only a small fraction of its replenishable groundwater resources, it has a large volume of untapped underground water. This gives the state a unique opportunity to expand tubewell-based irrigation to support agriculture during the dry season without running an immediate risk of water table depletion. In contrast, Punjab has already over-exploited its aquifers past sustainable limits and must restrict further pumping. Expanding irrigation in Chhattisgarh can be done safely, making expensive desalination plants or strict bans unnecessary. This makes Option B the correct choice.

The indented coastlines of West Bengal, Odisha, and Kerala facilitate the formation of lagoons, coastal lakes, and backwaters, making Statement 1 correct. These water bodies are usually brackish, as seawater enters through tidal inlets and mixes with freshwater supplied by rivers and streams, making Statement 2 correct. Such lagoons constitute important surface water resources, supporting fisheries, navigation, tourism, biodiversity, and the livelihoods of coastal communities, making Statement 3 correct. Statement 4 is incorrect because these water bodies are not completely freshwater; their salinity varies due to tidal influence, making them generally unsuitable for direct drinking. Therefore, Statements 1, 2, and 3 are correct, making Option B the correct answer.

Brackish water found in coastal lagoons contains a mixture of seawater and freshwater. Although unsuitable for drinking, it can be used for irrigating salt-tolerant paddy varieties and coconut plantations, making 1 → a. Fresh surface water is the preferred source for domestic drinking water, making 2 → b. Coastal backwaters are formed where tidal seawater mixes with river water, making 3 → c. Freshwater rivers provide the major source of potable water and irrigation for inland regions, making 4 → d. Therefore, the correct matching is 1-a, 2-b, 3-c, 4-d, corresponding to Option A.