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Ponds and lakes · Gujarat

Ponds and lakes in Banaskantha

293ponds, out of 3,121 water bodies

The 1st Census of Water Bodies counted 3,121 ponds, tanks, lakes and other water bodies in Banaskantha district. 1 of them (0%) were not in use and 1 had been encroached upon. Banaskantha has the 6th most ponds of the 33 districts in Gujarat the census counted.

Every water body the census counted in Banaskantha

1 of 3,121 water bodies (0%) is 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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  • Ponds293
  • Tanks1,150
  • Lakes1
  • Reservoirs12
  • Check dams and percolation tanks1,665

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

Why Banaskantha's ponds matter for its groundwater

121%Over-exploited

Banaskantha pumps out 121% 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 1 ponds and tanks not in use are a recharge opportunity going to waste.

Groundwater level in Banaskantha

Bringing a pond in Banaskantha 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 Banaskantha?

The 1st Census of Water Bodies (Ministry of Jal Shakti, counted in 2018-19, published 2023) counted 293 ponds in Banaskantha district, out of 3,121 water bodies in all. That is the 6th most ponds of 33 districts in Gujarat counted by the census.

How many lakes are there in Banaskantha?

The 1st Census of Water Bodies counted 1 lake and 12 reservoirs in Banaskantha district, along with 1,150 tanks.

How many water bodies in Banaskantha are not in use?

1 of the 3,121 water bodies (0%) were not in use when counted: dried up, silted, cut off from their catchment, polluted or built over. 1 had been encroached upon.

How do ponds help groundwater in Banaskantha?

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 Banaskantha running out?

In the 2025 Central Ground Water Board assessment, Banaskantha district pumped out 121% of the groundwater that can safely be taken out each year ("over-exploited").

Ponds in other districts of Gujarat

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

  1. 1Kheda1,752 water bodies, 0% not in use451
  2. 2Surat1,345 water bodies, 0% not in use431
  3. 3Ahmedabad1,964 water bodies, 3% not in use417
  4. 4Mahesana2,244 water bodies, 0% not in use379
  5. 5Bharuch2,247 water bodies, 0% not in use339
  6. 6Anand1,634 water bodies, 0% not in use284
  7. 7Patan1,897 water bodies, 0% not in use215
  8. 8Tapi1,476 water bodies, 0% not in use195
  9. 9Chhota Udepur2,209 water bodies, 0% not in use183
  10. 10Surendranagar1,149 water bodies, 0% not in use180
  11. 11Vadodara2,022 water bodies, 1% not in use153
  12. 12Rajkot2,700 water bodies, 0% not in use147
  13. 13Gandhinagar793 water bodies, 0% not in use146
  14. 14Narmada856 water bodies, 0% not in use138
  15. 15Bhavnagar1,867 water bodies, 0% not in use130
  16. 16Kachchh2,501 water bodies, 0% not in use117
  17. 17Dahod2,250 water bodies, 0% not in use95
  18. 18Panchmahal2,563 water bodies, 0% not in use93
  19. 19Arvalli1,410 water bodies, 0% not in use75
  20. 20Valsad1,770 water bodies, 0% not in use54
  21. 21Navsari1,484 water bodies, 1% not in use45
  22. 22Junagadh970 water bodies, 1% not in use44
  23. 23Amreli1,876 water bodies, 0% not in use37
  24. 24Mahisagar1,161 water bodies, 0% not in use33
  25. 25Devbhumi Dwarka934 water bodies, 0% not in use10
  26. 26Botad376 water bodies, 2% not in use9
  27. 27Gir Somnath546 water bodies, 1% not in use6
  28. 28Dang1,284 water bodies, 0% not in use5
  29. 29Sabarkantha2,107 water bodies, 0% not in use3
  30. 30Morbi1,438 water bodies, 0% not in use3
  31. 31Jamnagar1,782 water bodies, 0% not in use1
  32. 32Porbandar341 water bodies, 1% not in use0

All ponds and lakes in Gujarat