Survey
Map the pond's full original area, its inlets and its catchment, and record encroachments and sewage outfalls.
Ponds and lakes in Amritsar
1,050ponds, out of 1,055 water bodies
The 1st Census of Water Bodies counted 1,055 ponds, tanks, lakes and other water bodies in Amritsar district. 30 of them (3%) were not in use and 522 had been encroached upon. Amritsar has the 6th most ponds of the 21 districts in Punjab the census counted.
Every water body the census counted in Amritsar
30 of 1,055 water bodies (3%) are not in use: dried up, silted, built over or polluted. Bringing them back is one of the cheapest ways to recharge groundwater.
Loading the map of water bodies in Amritsar…
- Ponds1,050
- Tanks4
- Lakes1
Source: 1st Census of Water Bodies, Ministry of Jal Shakti (counted in 2018-19, published 2023).
Why Amritsar's ponds matter for its groundwater
160%Over-exploited
Amritsar pumps out 160% 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 30 ponds and tanks not in use are a recharge opportunity going to waste.
Bringing a pond in Amritsar back
Most ponds that are not in use can be revived. The work is the same in a village or a city sector:
Desilt
Dig out the silt that has sealed the bed, so water soaks into the ground again instead of evaporating.
Reconnect
Clear and line the channels that bring rain in, with a silt trap before the pond; divert sewage away from it.
Recharge
Add recharge shafts or wells in the bed where the soil is tight, so water reaches the aquifer faster.
Protect
Fence or plant the banks, mark the boundary and hand upkeep to the panchayat or residents' body.
Frequently asked questions
How many ponds are there in Amritsar?
The 1st Census of Water Bodies (Ministry of Jal Shakti, counted in 2018-19, published 2023) counted 1,050 ponds in Amritsar district, out of 1,055 water bodies in all. That is the 6th most ponds of 21 districts in Punjab counted by the census.
How many lakes are there in Amritsar?
The 1st Census of Water Bodies counted 1 lake and 0 reservoirs in Amritsar district, along with 4 tanks.
How many water bodies in Amritsar are not in use?
30 of the 1,055 water bodies (3%) were not in use when counted: dried up, silted, cut off from their catchment, polluted or built over. 522 had been encroached upon.
How do ponds help groundwater in Amritsar?
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 Amritsar running out?
In the 2025 Central Ground Water Board assessment, Amritsar district pumped out 160% of the groundwater that can safely be taken out each year ("over-exploited").
Ponds in other districts of Punjab
Districts ranked by number of ponds in the 1st Census of Water Bodies.
- 1Gurdaspur1,484 water bodies, 96% not in use1,420
- 2Patiala1,365 water bodies, 99% not in use1,320
- 3Jalandhar1,315 water bodies, 68% not in use1,264
- 4Hoshiarpur1,265 water bodies, 57% not in use1,195
- 5Ludhiana1,189 water bodies, 97% not in use1,122
- 6Tarn Taran735 water bodies, 18% not in use728
- 7Mansa707 water bodies, 76% not in use687
- 8Bathinda573 water bodies, 1% not in use573
- 9Fatehgarh Sahib639 water bodies, 54% not in use529
- 10Kapurthala527 water bodies, 32% not in use518
- 11Firozpur493 water bodies, 25% not in use492
- 12Fazilka714 water bodies, 2% not in use485
- 13Moga480 water bodies, 0% not in use480
- 14SBS Nagar494 water bodies, 91% not in use441
- 15Muktsar436 water bodies, 33% not in use427
- 16Rupnagar397 water bodies, 59% not in use390
- 17SAS Nagar496 water bodies, 61% not in use377
- 18Faridkot184 water bodies, 17% not in use184
- 19Barnala148 water bodies, 99% not in use145
- 20Pathankot186 water bodies, 62% not in use107