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Ponds and lakes · Maharashtra

Ponds and lakes in Dhule

4ponds, out of 3,557 water bodies

The 1st Census of Water Bodies counted 3,557 ponds, tanks, lakes and other water bodies in Dhule district. 160 of them (4%) were not in use and 67 had been encroached upon. Dhule has the 20th most ponds of the 34 districts in Maharashtra the census counted.

Every water body the census counted in Dhule

160 of 3,557 water bodies (4%) 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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  • Ponds4
  • Reservoirs4
  • Check dams and percolation tanks2,519
  • Others1,030

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

Why Dhule's ponds matter for its groundwater

48%Safe

Dhule pumps out 48% 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 Dhule

Bringing a pond in Dhule 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 Dhule?

The 1st Census of Water Bodies (Ministry of Jal Shakti, counted in 2018-19, published 2023) counted 4 ponds in Dhule district, out of 3,557 water bodies in all. That is the 20th most ponds of 34 districts in Maharashtra counted by the census.

How many lakes are there in Dhule?

The 1st Census of Water Bodies counted 0 lakes and 4 reservoirs in Dhule district, along with 0 tanks.

How many water bodies in Dhule are not in use?

160 of the 3,557 water bodies (4%) were not in use when counted: dried up, silted, cut off from their catchment, polluted or built over. 67 had been encroached upon.

How do ponds help groundwater in Dhule?

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 Dhule running out?

In the 2025 Central Ground Water Board assessment, Dhule district pumped out 48% of the groundwater that can safely be taken out each year ("safe").

Ponds in other districts of Maharashtra

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

  1. 1Raigad1,750 water bodies, 9% not in use321
  2. 2Nashik6,137 water bodies, 2% not in use112
  3. 3Thane1,278 water bodies, 0% not in use73
  4. 4Nanded2,724 water bodies, 0% not in use50
  5. 5Beed4,235 water bodies, 2% not in use41
  6. 6Kolhapur1,338 water bodies, 0% not in use40
  7. 7Osmanabad3,272 water bodies, 0% not in use35
  8. 8Palghar1,204 water bodies, 3% not in use35
  9. 9Solapur3,338 water bodies, 0% not in use29
  10. 10Pune3,680 water bodies, 0% not in use25
  11. 11Satara3,756 water bodies, 0% not in use24
  12. 12Hingoli1,657 water bodies, 0% not in use20
  13. 13Sindhudurg574 water bodies, 5% not in use20
  14. 14Ahmednagar4,994 water bodies, 1% not in use13
  15. 15Ratnagiri795 water bodies, 1% not in use13
  16. 16Sangli2,280 water bodies, 0% not in use11
  17. 17Nandurbar3,009 water bodies, 6% not in use10
  18. 18Jalgaon3,071 water bodies, 6% not in use9
  19. 19Latur2,186 water bodies, 0% not in use5
  20. 20Aurangabad5,683 water bodies, 0% not in use3
  21. 21Chandrapur4,878 water bodies, 0% not in use2
  22. 22Gondia4,100 water bodies, 0% not in use2
  23. 23Amravati1,699 water bodies, 0% not in use1
  24. 24Jalna5,319 water bodies, 0% not in use0
  25. 25Buldhana3,611 water bodies, 0% not in use0
  26. 26Nagpur3,269 water bodies, 0% not in use0
  27. 27Gadchiroli3,028 water bodies, 0% not in use0
  28. 28Bhandara2,720 water bodies, 1% not in use0
  29. 29Yawatmal2,316 water bodies, 0% not in use0
  30. 30Washim2,111 water bodies, 0% not in use0
  31. 31Parbhani1,688 water bodies, 0% not in use0
  32. 32Wardha1,372 water bodies, 0% not in use0
  33. 33Akola433 water bodies, 0% not in use0

All ponds and lakes in Maharashtra