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Ponds and lakes · Chhattisgarh

Ponds and lakes in Bemetara

1,560ponds, out of 1,616 water bodies

The 1st Census of Water Bodies counted 1,616 ponds, tanks, lakes and other water bodies in Bemetara district. 207 of them (13%) were not in use and 5 had been encroached upon. Bemetara has the 7th most ponds of the 21 districts in Chhattisgarh the census counted.

Every water body the census counted in Bemetara

207 of 1,616 water bodies (13%) 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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  • Ponds1,560
  • Tanks9
  • Lakes3
  • Reservoirs25
  • Check dams and percolation tanks14
  • Others5

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

Why Bemetara's ponds matter for its groundwater

92%Critical

Bemetara pumps out 92% of the groundwater that can safely be taken out each year (2025, Central Ground Water Board), which the board rates critical. Every pond that holds rain long enough for it to soak in puts some of that water back, so the 207 ponds and tanks not in use are a recharge opportunity going to waste.

Groundwater level in Bemetara

Bringing a pond in Bemetara 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 Bemetara?

The 1st Census of Water Bodies (Ministry of Jal Shakti, counted in 2018-19, published 2023) counted 1,560 ponds in Bemetara district, out of 1,616 water bodies in all. That is the 7th most ponds of 21 districts in Chhattisgarh counted by the census.

How many lakes are there in Bemetara?

The 1st Census of Water Bodies counted 3 lakes and 25 reservoirs in Bemetara district, along with 9 tanks.

How many water bodies in Bemetara are not in use?

207 of the 1,616 water bodies (13%) were not in use when counted: dried up, silted, cut off from their catchment, polluted or built over. 5 had been encroached upon.

How do ponds help groundwater in Bemetara?

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 Bemetara running out?

In the 2025 Central Ground Water Board assessment, Bemetara district pumped out 92% of the groundwater that can safely be taken out each year ("critical").

Ponds in other districts of Chhattisgarh

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

  1. 1Mahasamund2,760 water bodies, 22% not in use2,683
  2. 2Raipur2,624 water bodies, 10% not in use2,585
  3. 3Balod1,800 water bodies, 9% not in use1,745
  4. 4Dhamtari1,741 water bodies, 7% not in use1,715
  5. 5Gariaband1,683 water bodies, 11% not in use1,652
  6. 6Mungeli1,593 water bodies, 10% not in use1,578
  7. 7Jashpur1,552 water bodies, 20% not in use1,464
  8. 8Kabirdham1,536 water bodies, 20% not in use1,438
  9. 9Durg1,432 water bodies, 23% not in use1,364
  10. 10Kanker1,449 water bodies, 13% not in use1,348
  11. 11Kondagaon1,391 water bodies, 17% not in use1,305
  12. 12Korba819 water bodies, 7% not in use796
  13. 13Bastar652 water bodies, 13% not in use639
  14. 14Balrampur643 water bodies, 30% not in use621
  15. 15Surguja608 water bodies, 18% not in use541
  16. 16Narayanpur220 water bodies, 85% not in use204
  17. 17Dantewada188 water bodies, 7% not in use177
  18. 18Bijapur170 water bodies, 19% not in use168
  19. 19Surajpur100 water bodies, 29% not in use85
  20. 20Sukma20 water bodies, 30% not in use20

All ponds and lakes in Chhattisgarh