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Ponds and lakes · Haryana

Ponds and lakes in Ambala

774ponds, out of 775 water bodies

The 1st Census of Water Bodies counted 775 ponds, tanks, lakes and other water bodies in Ambala district. 684 of them (88%) were not in use and 0 had been encroached upon. Ambala has the 9th most ponds of the 22 districts in Haryana the census counted.

Every water body the census counted in Ambala

684 of 775 water bodies (88%) are not in use: dried up, silted, built over or polluted. Bringing them back is one of the cheapest ways to recharge groundwater.

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Source: 1st Census of Water Bodies (2018-19), via India-WRIS.

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  • Ponds774
  • Tanks1

Source: 1st Census of Water Bodies, Ministry of Jal Shakti (counted in 2018-19, published 2023).

Haryana's own survey of Ambala

Haryana mapped its ponds from satellite images in 2023, so its count differs from the census, which recorded water bodies on the ground in 2018-19. It also counts the tube wells that pump groundwater for irrigation.

1,676ponds, covering 2,332 acres
67other water bodies such as lakes and tanks, covering 59 acres
25,485tube wells for irrigation (16.2 per km²)

Source: Haryana Water Resources Atlas 2025, Haryana Water Resources Authority. Ponds and water bodies mapped from satellite data in 2023 (Pond Authority Haryana, HARSAC); irrigation tube wells counted in 2022-23 (Ground Water Cell, Haryana).

Why Ambala's ponds matter for its groundwater

130%Over-exploited

Ambala pumps out 130% of the groundwater that can safely be taken out each year (2025, Central Ground Water Board), which the board rates over-exploited. Every pond that holds rain long enough for it to soak in puts some of that water back, so the 684 ponds and tanks not in use are a recharge opportunity going to waste.

Groundwater level in Ambala

Bringing a pond in Ambala back

Most ponds that are not in use can be revived. The work is the same in a village or a city sector:

Step 1

Survey

Map the pond's full original area, its inlets and its catchment, and record encroachments and sewage outfalls.

Step 2

Desilt

Dig out the silt that has sealed the bed, so water soaks into the ground again instead of evaporating.

Step 3

Reconnect

Clear and line the channels that bring rain in, with a silt trap before the pond; divert sewage away from it.

Step 4

Recharge

Add recharge shafts or wells in the bed where the soil is tight, so water reaches the aquifer faster.

Step 5

Protect

Fence or plant the banks, mark the boundary and hand upkeep to the panchayat or residents' body.

Talk to TerraSetu about a pondPond rejuvenation: cost and processOther ways to recharge

Frequently asked questions

How many ponds are there in Ambala?

The 1st Census of Water Bodies (Ministry of Jal Shakti, counted in 2018-19, published 2023) counted 774 ponds in Ambala district, out of 775 water bodies in all. Haryana's own satellite mapping in 2023 found 1,676 ponds covering 2,332 acres; the counts differ because one was surveyed on the ground and the other from space. That is the 9th most ponds of 22 districts in Haryana counted by the census.

How many lakes are there in Ambala?

The 1st Census of Water Bodies recorded no lakes or reservoirs in Ambala district; its 775 water bodies are mostly ponds and 1 tank. Haryana's 2023 satellite mapping counts 67 water bodies other than ponds, such as lakes and tanks, covering 59 acres.

How many water bodies in Ambala are not in use?

684 of the 775 water bodies (88%) were not in use when counted: dried up, silted, cut off from their catchment, polluted or built over. 0 had been encroached upon.

How do ponds help groundwater in Ambala?

A working pond holds rain long enough for it to soak into the ground and refill wells and borewells nearby. A silted or encroached pond sends that rain down the drain instead. Desilting, reopening inlets and adding recharge shafts in the pond bed are among the cheapest ways to recharge groundwater.

Is groundwater in Ambala running out?

In the 2025 Central Ground Water Board assessment, Ambala district pumped out 130% of the groundwater that can safely be taken out each year ("over-exploited").

Ponds in other districts of Haryana

Districts ranked by number of ponds in the 1st Census of Water Bodies.

  1. 1Palwal1,218 water bodies, 56% not in use1,217
  2. 2Hisar1,086 water bodies, 27% not in use1,084
  3. 3Jind1,026 water bodies, 20% not in use992
  4. 4Jhajjar994 water bodies, 49% not in use976
  5. 5Sonipat982 water bodies, 17% not in use964
  6. 6Sirsa1,260 water bodies, 15% not in use919
  7. 7Mahendragarh868 water bodies, 100% not in use868
  8. 8Yamuna Nagar799 water bodies, 35% not in use793
  9. 9Rewari771 water bodies, 6% not in use762
  10. 10Kaithal738 water bodies, 25% not in use670
  11. 11Rohtak651 water bodies, 94% not in use651
  12. 12Kurukshetra645 water bodies, 24% not in use645
  13. 13Panipat574 water bodies, 54% not in use571
  14. 14Gurugram535 water bodies, 51% not in use521
  15. 15Charkhi Dadri437 water bodies, 24% not in use432
  16. 16Nuh337 water bodies, 71% not in use337
  17. 17Fatehabad270 water bodies, 0% not in use270
  18. 18Faridabad265 water bodies, 3% not in use263
  19. 19Bhiwani258 water bodies, 7% not in use258
  20. 20Panchkula209 water bodies, 43% not in use209
  21. 21Karnal200 water bodies, 99% not in use200

All ponds and lakes in Haryana