History of Technology in India, Vol. I: From Antiquity to c. 1200 A.D. v1.c24.s6.1

v1.c24.s6.1

Water is essential for the growth of crops. Rain water is the first and the foremost source of water supply. But, in many cases it is either insufficient or irregular or not available at the proper time. Rain water has to be supplemented by man-made devices of supplying water. Even in the case of other natural sources of water, such as rivers, streams, lakes and ponds, human effort is required to carry or direct water to the field. Thus, irrigation falls into two clear categories, natural and artificial.