Soils
• Soil is the uppermost layer of the land surface, usually composed of
minerals, organic matter, living organisms, air and water.
• Grains in the soil are of three categories namely, clay, silt, and sand.
• Soils are generally formed by the weathering of rocks under different
conditions.
• Soils can vary greatly from one region to the other.
Types of Soils
• The Indian Council of Agriculture Research (ICAR) set up in 1953
divides the soils of India into the following eight major groups.
They are
1. Alluvial soil
2. Black soils
3. Red soils
4. Laterite soils
5. Forest and mountain soils
6. Arid and desert soils
7. Saline and alkaline soils
8. Peaty and marshy soils
Irrigation
• Watering of agricultural plants through artificial means is called
irrigation.
• Being a hot country with seasonal and irregular rainfall, it always
needs irrigation to carry out agricultural activities during dry period.
Sources of Irrigation
The main sources of irrigation used in different parts of the country are
Canal irrigation
Well irrigation
Tank irrigation
1. Inundation Canals:
• In this, water is taken out directly from the rivers without making any
kind of barrage or dam.
• Such canals are useful for the diversion of flood water from the rivers
and remain operational during rainy season.
2. Perennial Canals:
• These are developed from perennial rivers by constructing barrage to
regulate the flow of water.
• About 60 percent of the canal irrigated area falls in the northern
plains of India,
1. Open Wells:
• This type of irrigation is widely practiced in the areas where
groundwater is sufficiently available.
• The areas are in Ganga Plains, the deltaic region of Mahanadi,
Godavari, Krishna, Cauvery and parts of Narmada and Tapti valleys.
2. Tube Wells:
• Tube wells are developed in the areas of low water table, sufficient
power supply and soft subsurface geological units.
• Tube wells are predominant in the states of Gujarat, Maharashtra,
Punjab, Madhya Pradesh and Tamil Nadu.
Multipurpose River Valley Projects
• It is a scientific management of water resources in our country.
• Construction of dam across rivers is aimed at many purposes. Hence,
it is termed as multi-purpose river valley projects.
• The various purposes of a dam serves are irrigation, hydro power
generation, water supply for drinking and industrial purpose,
controlling floods, development of fisheries, navigation etc.
• Generally, majority of multipurpose projects are combination of
irrigation and hydro-power which are the major aims of the projects.
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