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Ponds and lakes · Punjab

Ponds and lakes in Gurdaspur

1,420ponds, out of 1,484 water bodies

The 1st Census of Water Bodies counted 1,484 ponds, tanks, lakes and other water bodies in Gurdaspur district. 1,419 of them (96%) were not in use and 55 had been encroached upon. Gurdaspur has the most ponds of the 21 districts in Punjab the census counted.

Every water body the census counted in Gurdaspur

1,419 of 1,484 water bodies (96%) 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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  • Ponds1,420
  • Tanks18
  • Lakes6
  • Reservoirs2
  • Check dams and percolation tanks2
  • Others36

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

Why Gurdaspur's ponds matter for its groundwater

121%Over-exploited

Gurdaspur 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 1,419 ponds and tanks not in use are a recharge opportunity going to waste.

Groundwater level in Gurdaspur

Bringing a pond in Gurdaspur 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 Gurdaspur?

The 1st Census of Water Bodies (Ministry of Jal Shakti, counted in 2018-19, published 2023) counted 1,420 ponds in Gurdaspur district, out of 1,484 water bodies in all. That is the 1st most ponds of 21 districts in Punjab counted by the census.

How many lakes are there in Gurdaspur?

The 1st Census of Water Bodies counted 6 lakes and 2 reservoirs in Gurdaspur district, along with 18 tanks.

How many water bodies in Gurdaspur are not in use?

1,419 of the 1,484 water bodies (96%) were not in use when counted: dried up, silted, cut off from their catchment, polluted or built over. 55 had been encroached upon.

How do ponds help groundwater in Gurdaspur?

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 Gurdaspur running out?

In the 2025 Central Ground Water Board assessment, Gurdaspur district pumped out 121% 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.

  1. 1Patiala1,365 water bodies, 99% not in use1,320
  2. 2Jalandhar1,315 water bodies, 68% not in use1,264
  3. 3Hoshiarpur1,265 water bodies, 57% not in use1,195
  4. 4Ludhiana1,189 water bodies, 97% not in use1,122
  5. 5Amritsar1,055 water bodies, 3% not in use1,050
  6. 6Tarn Taran735 water bodies, 18% not in use728
  7. 7Mansa707 water bodies, 76% not in use687
  8. 8Bathinda573 water bodies, 1% not in use573
  9. 9Fatehgarh Sahib639 water bodies, 54% not in use529
  10. 10Kapurthala527 water bodies, 32% not in use518
  11. 11Firozpur493 water bodies, 25% not in use492
  12. 12Fazilka714 water bodies, 2% not in use485
  13. 13Moga480 water bodies, 0% not in use480
  14. 14SBS Nagar494 water bodies, 91% not in use441
  15. 15Muktsar436 water bodies, 33% not in use427
  16. 16Rupnagar397 water bodies, 59% not in use390
  17. 17SAS Nagar496 water bodies, 61% not in use377
  18. 18Faridkot184 water bodies, 17% not in use184
  19. 19Barnala148 water bodies, 99% not in use145
  20. 20Pathankot186 water bodies, 62% not in use107

All ponds and lakes in Punjab