Differentiate between the surface and ground water. Describe the factors responsible for degradation of water

 Water which falls in the form of precipitation moves down into soil and through rocks and gets accumulated as ground water. The layer of rock through which it percolates down is known as aquifer and water can be utilised by digging out wells. Ground water can be found in two layers of the soil. The zone of aeration, where gaps in the soil are filled both with air and water.

The surface water includes the streams, ponds, lakes, human-made reservoirs and canals, and freshwater wetlands.As part of water cycle the surface water bodies are considered renewable resources though they are dependent on other parts of water cycle.

Degradation of Water Sources

The depletion of water resources and their contamination making them unfit as a source of water for human consumption. It is a major problem today. Most of our water bodies like rivers, lakes, oceans, estuaries and ground water bodies arefacing severe pollution due tointensive agriculture, urbanisation, industrialisation and deforestation. Siltation of rivers and lakes due to soil erosion progressively reduces their water holding capacity resulting in ravaging floods year after year.Today we are faced with the paradoxical situation of lack of safedrinking waterin above-average rainfall areas and regions having abundant water bodies.

Discharge of sewage and industrial effluents into water bodies not only pollute water but often lead to an increase in the growth of aquatic plants and algal blooms in water bodies, ultimately causing them to disappear. This may also cause the decay and destruction of various organisms in water, e.g., fish.

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