Survey
Map the pond's full original area, its inlets and its catchment, and record encroachments and sewage outfalls.
Ponds and lakes in Kanker
1,348ponds, out of 1,449 water bodies
The 1st Census of Water Bodies counted 1,449 ponds, tanks, lakes and other water bodies in Kanker district. 188 of them (13%) were not in use and 5 had been encroached upon. Kanker has the 11th most ponds of the 21 districts in Chhattisgarh the census counted.
Every water body the census counted in Kanker
188 of 1,449 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.
Loading the map of water bodies in Kanker…
- Ponds1,348
- Tanks59
- Lakes16
- Reservoirs11
- Check dams and percolation tanks5
- Others10
Source: 1st Census of Water Bodies, Ministry of Jal Shakti (counted in 2018-19, published 2023).
Why Kanker's ponds matter for its groundwater
39%Safe
Kanker pumps out 39% 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.
Bringing a pond in Kanker back
Most ponds that are not in use can be revived. The work is the same in a village or a city sector:
Desilt
Dig out the silt that has sealed the bed, so water soaks into the ground again instead of evaporating.
Reconnect
Clear and line the channels that bring rain in, with a silt trap before the pond; divert sewage away from it.
Recharge
Add recharge shafts or wells in the bed where the soil is tight, so water reaches the aquifer faster.
Protect
Fence or plant the banks, mark the boundary and hand upkeep to the panchayat or residents' body.
Frequently asked questions
How many ponds are there in Kanker?
The 1st Census of Water Bodies (Ministry of Jal Shakti, counted in 2018-19, published 2023) counted 1,348 ponds in Kanker district, out of 1,449 water bodies in all. That is the 11th most ponds of 21 districts in Chhattisgarh counted by the census.
How many lakes are there in Kanker?
The 1st Census of Water Bodies counted 16 lakes and 11 reservoirs in Kanker district, along with 59 tanks.
How many water bodies in Kanker are not in use?
188 of the 1,449 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 Kanker?
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 Kanker running out?
In the 2025 Central Ground Water Board assessment, Kanker district pumped out 39% of the groundwater that can safely be taken out each year ("safe").
Ponds in other districts of Chhattisgarh
Districts ranked by number of ponds in the 1st Census of Water Bodies.
- 1Mahasamund2,760 water bodies, 22% not in use2,683
- 2Raipur2,624 water bodies, 10% not in use2,585
- 3Balod1,800 water bodies, 9% not in use1,745
- 4Dhamtari1,741 water bodies, 7% not in use1,715
- 5Gariaband1,683 water bodies, 11% not in use1,652
- 6Mungeli1,593 water bodies, 10% not in use1,578
- 7Bemetara1,616 water bodies, 13% not in use1,560
- 8Jashpur1,552 water bodies, 20% not in use1,464
- 9Kabirdham1,536 water bodies, 20% not in use1,438
- 10Durg1,432 water bodies, 23% not in use1,364
- 11Kondagaon1,391 water bodies, 17% not in use1,305
- 12Korba819 water bodies, 7% not in use796
- 13Bastar652 water bodies, 13% not in use639
- 14Balrampur643 water bodies, 30% not in use621
- 15Surguja608 water bodies, 18% not in use541
- 16Narayanpur220 water bodies, 85% not in use204
- 17Dantewada188 water bodies, 7% not in use177
- 18Bijapur170 water bodies, 19% not in use168
- 19Surajpur100 water bodies, 29% not in use85
- 20Sukma20 water bodies, 30% not in use20