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Ponds and lakes · Jharkhand

Ponds and lakes in Chatra

3,676ponds, out of 4,033 water bodies

The 1st Census of Water Bodies counted 4,033 ponds, tanks, lakes and other water bodies in Chatra district. 243 of them (6%) were not in use and 22 had been encroached upon. Chatra has the 12th most ponds of the 23 districts in Jharkhand the census counted.

Every water body the census counted in Chatra

243 of 4,033 water bodies (6%) 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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  • Ponds3,676
  • Tanks44
  • Lakes3
  • Reservoirs140
  • Check dams and percolation tanks161
  • Others9

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

Why Chatra's ponds matter for its groundwater

42%Safe

Chatra pumps out 42% of the groundwater that can safely be taken out each year (2025, Central Ground Water Board), which the board rates safe. Working ponds are a large part of what keeps it there, by letting rain soak back into the ground.

Groundwater level in Chatra

Bringing a pond in Chatra 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 Chatra?

The 1st Census of Water Bodies (Ministry of Jal Shakti, counted in 2018-19, published 2023) counted 3,676 ponds in Chatra district, out of 4,033 water bodies in all. That is the 12th most ponds of 23 districts in Jharkhand counted by the census.

How many lakes are there in Chatra?

The 1st Census of Water Bodies counted 3 lakes and 140 reservoirs in Chatra district, along with 44 tanks.

How many water bodies in Chatra are not in use?

243 of the 4,033 water bodies (6%) were not in use when counted: dried up, silted, cut off from their catchment, polluted or built over. 22 had been encroached upon.

How do ponds help groundwater in Chatra?

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 Chatra running out?

In the 2025 Central Ground Water Board assessment, Chatra district pumped out 42% of the groundwater that can safely be taken out each year ("safe").

Ponds in other districts of Jharkhand

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

  1. 1Dumka9,370 water bodies, 11% not in use8,618
  2. 2West Singhbhum6,740 water bodies, 10% not in use6,085
  3. 3Sahebganj5,583 water bodies, 1% not in use5,404
  4. 4Giridih5,127 water bodies, 1% not in use4,899
  5. 5Jamtara4,860 water bodies, 0% not in use4,726
  6. 6Pakur4,994 water bodies, 2% not in use4,502
  7. 7Hazaribagh4,725 water bodies, 26% not in use4,252
  8. 8Gumla6,465 water bodies, 23% not in use4,121
  9. 9Deoghar4,117 water bodies, 8% not in use3,906
  10. 10Dhanbad4,060 water bodies, 20% not in use3,880
  11. 11Ranchi5,808 water bodies, 5% not in use3,768
  12. 12Godda3,902 water bodies, 20% not in use3,501
  13. 13Saraikela Kharsawan3,851 water bodies, 17% not in use3,387
  14. 14Bokaro3,700 water bodies, 21% not in use3,289
  15. 15Latehar4,700 water bodies, 5% not in use2,473
  16. 16Lohardaga2,701 water bodies, 8% not in use2,315
  17. 17Simdega2,362 water bodies, 17% not in use2,096
  18. 18Khunti1,941 water bodies, 26% not in use1,740
  19. 19Koderma1,889 water bodies, 38% not in use1,469
  20. 20Palamau5,681 water bodies, 8% not in use1,248
  21. 21Ramgarh1,372 water bodies, 56% not in use1,226
  22. 22Garhwa3,681 water bodies, 29% not in use1,158

All ponds and lakes in Jharkhand