Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
The question asks for the specific term used to describe a drainage method that utilizes plants to remove excess water from the soil.
Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
Let's define the different drainage terms:
(A) Surface drainage: This involves removing excess water from the surface of the land using open ditches, channels, or by land shaping (land grading). It deals with surface water, not groundwater directly.
(B) Sub-Surface drainage: This involves removing excess water from within the soil profile (the root zone). It is typically done using buried perforated pipes (tile drains) or mole drains that collect and convey groundwater.
(C) Bio-drainage: This is a modern, eco-friendly approach to drainage that uses the natural process of transpiration by plants to remove excess water from the soil profile. It involves planting specific species of trees and plants that have a very high rate of water consumption (transpiration). These plants act like "biological pumps," drawing large amounts of water from the groundwater table and releasing it into the atmosphere as water vapor. This method is used to lower high water tables and control waterlogging. The description "Plantation of high water consuming trees for withdrawal of groundwater" is the exact definition of bio-drainage.
(D) Vertical drainage: This involves pumping water out of the ground using deep tube wells to lower the water table over a large area. It is a form of subsurface drainage, but the term specifically refers to the use of wells.
Step 3: Final Answer:
The use of high water-consuming trees to lower the groundwater table is termed bio-drainage. Therefore, option (C) is the correct answer.