HYDROLOGY – DEFINITION AND ITS RELATION TO ENVIRONMENT

Definition of Hydrology :

Hydrology is the science that deals with the water of the Earth, its occurrence, circulation and
distribution, its chemical and physical properties, its reaction with the environment, including its relation
to living things. The domain of Hydrology embraces the full life history of water on earth. This
definition of Hydrology gives light on the basic concept about the subject. Another definition has a
resource approach. According to this, Hydrology is the science that deals with the processes governing
the depletion and replenishment of the water resources of the land areas of the earth.

Development of Hydrology :

From these perspections, the development of Hydrology includes four sequential phases viz., (a) the
Conceptual Hydrology i.e., the basic concepts of the subject; (b) the Engineering Hydrology i.e., the
measurement and analysis of water; (c) the Environmental Hydrology i.e., the distribution and crisis of
water as a resource in the environment and (d) the Applied Hydrology i.e., Hydrology for the social
development.

Global Distribution of Water :

Water covers 70%of the globe but by volume only 3% of whole is fresh and most of this lying in the
frost form. So, only even less than 1% of fresh water is accessible in forms of surface water. Only 1/4th.
of the world population can get water and rest 3/4th. do not. In Iceland the annual renewable fresh water
is over 600,000 cubic m. per capita whereas; in Kuwait it is only 75 cubic m. per capita. This is the
uneven distribution of global terrestrial water. The source of fresh water that is accessible is the fresh
water of rivers, annual average flow of which is 35,000 to 50,000 cubic km. per year i.e., less than 1%.

Fig.: 1 GLOBAL WATER AND ITS USES BY HUMANS

Water Shortage :

Globally 12.5 to 14 billions cubic m. water per year is available for human use which comes to nearly
9,000 cubic m. per person per year. in account. It is estimated that, by year 2025, availability of fresh
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water per capita will drop globally to 5,100 cubic m. per person. So, 2 billions water more is to be
added. Todays estimated global water demand is 4,000 cubic km. per year. Among which 80% is for
agriculture and irrigation.
Fig. 2 WORLD’S DISTRIBUTION OF WATER

Almost in 31 countries 80% of population face water shortage (2-8 billions people, nearly). Some of
these countries are India, Ethiopia, Kenya, Nigeria, Peru, etc. which face both seasonal as well as
general shortage of water. The following data shows the source, volume and percentage of existence of
water that had been collected from Nace, U.S. Geological Survey, 1967 and The Hydrologic Cycle
(Pamphlet), U.S. Geological Survey, 1984.

TABLE SHOWING THE SOURCE AND EXISTANCE OF GLOBAL WATER

Water volume, in Percent of

Water source
cubic miles total water
Oceans 317,000,000 97.24%
Icecaps, Glaciers 7,000,000 2.14%
Ground water 2,000,000 0.61%
Fresh-water lakes 30,000 0.009%
Inland seas 25,000 0.008%
Soil moisture 16,000 0.005%
Atmosphere 3,100 0.001%
Rivers 300 0.0001%
Total water volume 326,000,000 100%

Application of Hydrologic knowledge to Environment :

The relation of Hydrology to Environment can be established in several ways. These include the
following features –
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(a) The water balance equation : in Hydrology clearly describes the mutual relationships of different
environmental factors between precipitation (P), Surface and Sub-surface Runoff (S), Transpiration (T),
Evaporation from Ground surface (E), Interception (I) and Discharge of water storage (Q). The Equation
may be formulated as –

WATER BALANCE (W) = P – ( Q + E T )

Fig. 3 THE DANGERS OF WATER SHORTAGES IN SEMI-ARID DEVELOPING LANDS

(After Falkenmark, 1989) – A Complex Model

(b) Only a detailed Hydrologic knowledge can be helpful for a proper water management and decision-
making program. This science helps man to take decision in the right direction for use and management
of anything related to water and other elements of Hydrology and their processes. For instance, in India,
the average consumption per person is only about 680 cubic m. per year for all uses. With this in mind
the use of water in India has been canalized in the following manner –

TABLE SHOWING THE USE OF WATER IN DIFFERENT SECTORS IN INDIA

Serial Different Percentage of

Number Sectors Total Water in Use
1 Domestic,
Drinking Water 4%
2 Industry,
Thermal Power and 12%
Other Sectors
3 Agriculture,
Irrigation 84%
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Though this has been projected that this sector wise use of water may increase accordingly with the
successive increase of population within coming 25 to 50 years. Then, India needs to manage this
system with a more controlled planning.

(c) Elements of the Hydrological Cycle are affected by man’s activities and the knowledge of Hydrology
helps in understanding the effects of such activities and show how they can be checked. The following
table depicts relationship between Environment and the Hydrological Processes and elements and
environment –

TABLE SHOWING THE RELATION BETWEEN ENVIRONMENT AND HYDROLOGY

Human Results on Some Important Hydrological Elements

Activities Environment and Processes that are involved in the
Proposed Environmental phenomenon
Disruption of Natural Floods and accelerated water Infiltration, Seepage,
cover of the Earth’s erosion as seen in Darjeeling Surface runoff,
Surface Himalayan Regions Ground water
Application of Degradation of Surface storage,
Chemical Fertilizers water resources Ground water,
and Pesticides Soil moisture
Construction of Change in water regime as Surface runoff,
reservoirs and dams evidenced from the impact Ground water
of the Farraka Barrage
Regulation of Streams Speeding up surface runoff Surface runoff,
Preventing floods Depression storage
Urbanization and Creation of waste and pollution Surface water,
Development of of water (physical and Ground water
industry chemical changes)
Intensive Methods of Increase in soil water Soil water
Cultivation and salinity
irrigation

Hydrology and River Environment :

The United Nations Conference on Environment and Development in Rio de Janeiro, water supply for
human consumption industrial and agricultural use and for the generation of power is a prominent issue
at the Earth Summit. They focused on the multipurpose river projects like Thames, Tyne, Rhine, etc.

Climate-change and Hydrology :

Askew lists the position of both pure and applied hydrology in respect to the role of the climate and the
society. The following chart depicts this view clearly –

Fig. 4 CLIMATE CHANGE AND HYDROLOGY – A SIMPLE FLOW CHART

Climate change = > Hydrological Processes = > Water Resource Systems = > Society

Thus, Hydrology plays a central part in the current world climate programs and has a leading role in the
Global Environment Water Cycle Experiment (GEWCEX).
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The following diagram exhibits the influences of climate on water resources in general. This diagram
follows the main theme as proposed by Arnell et.al. in the year 1990.

Fig. 5 THE INFLUENCES OF CLIMATE ON WATER RESOURCES

Hydrology in relation to Indian Environment :

In India, 200 millions people do not have access to safe drinking water. According to Ministry of Rural
Development about 1.5 millions children under 5 years die each year due to water related diseases. It has
been estimated that only 20% ground water is stored in urban 249 blocks have finished its storage totally
(80%). From the year 1980, ground water table of India has decreased 4m. or more. 19 major Indian
cities, including Kolkata faces fresh water shortage though it has been informed in 1991, that per capita
drinking water supply is above 250 liters per day in Kolkata.

But the major problem in Kolkata and other urbanized part of West Bengal is the arsenic contamination.
Within the Calcutta (Kolkata) Metropolitan Region Baruipur Jadavpur, Banshdroni, etc. have been
affected much. Though now, water samples tested at All India Institute of Hygiene and Public Health
and School of Environmental Studies under Jadavpur University. After a great devotion to Hydrologic
study from a pilot study instituted by Kolkata Metropolitan Development Area (KMDA) in 1976, the
estimated unaccounted water for some of the cities in India are –

TABLE SHOWING THE UNACCOUNTED WATER

Name of Indian Cities Unaccounted Water in Percentage

Kolkata 30%
Mumbai 24%
Delhi 30%

Beside the above environmental situations, mosquito related diseases like Malaria, Filariasis, Dengue,
Encephalitis, etc. are also rooted from the water pollution, which is a great problem in nowadays. The
recent Hydrologic application also includes in order to find out the degree of water pollution and its
effect on environment.
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Summery :

Water in both the quantitative and qualitative sense, is a very important factor of the transformation of
environment. Thus establishing scientific criteria for research, documentation and exchange of
information on water resources planning, management and use and related environmental issues are
contemporary issues in Hydrology and no doubt have a close link with the present day environment.

References :

1. Indian Statistical Handbook

2. Papers published on different journals
3. World wide webs

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