Survey
Map the pond's full original area, its inlets and its catchment, and record encroachments and sewage outfalls.
Ponds and lakes in Kishtwar
27ponds, out of 153 water bodies
The 1st Census of Water Bodies counted 153 ponds, tanks, lakes and other water bodies in Kishtwar district. 12 of them (8%) were not in use and 1 had been encroached upon. Kishtwar has the 13th most ponds of the 18 districts in Jammu and Kashmir the census counted.
Every water body the census counted in Kishtwar
12 of 153 water bodies (8%) 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 Kishtwar…
- Ponds27
- Tanks18
- Lakes10
- Reservoirs93
- Check dams and percolation tanks1
- Others4
Source: 1st Census of Water Bodies, Ministry of Jal Shakti (counted in 2018-19, published 2023).
Why Kishtwar's ponds matter for its groundwater
16%Safe
Kishtwar pumps out 16% 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 Kishtwar 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 Kishtwar?
The 1st Census of Water Bodies (Ministry of Jal Shakti, counted in 2018-19, published 2023) counted 27 ponds in Kishtwar district, out of 153 water bodies in all. That is the 13th most ponds of 18 districts in Jammu and Kashmir counted by the census.
How many lakes are there in Kishtwar?
The 1st Census of Water Bodies counted 10 lakes and 93 reservoirs in Kishtwar district, along with 18 tanks.
How many water bodies in Kishtwar are not in use?
12 of the 153 water bodies (8%) were not in use when counted: dried up, silted, cut off from their catchment, polluted or built over. 1 had been encroached upon.
How do ponds help groundwater in Kishtwar?
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 Kishtwar running out?
In the 2025 Central Ground Water Board assessment, Kishtwar district pumped out 16% of the groundwater that can safely be taken out each year ("safe").
Ponds in other districts of Jammu and Kashmir
Districts ranked by number of ponds in the 1st Census of Water Bodies.
- 1Kathua3,138 water bodies, 16% not in use1,322
- 2Jammu928 water bodies, 55% not in use888
- 3Udhampur896 water bodies, 24% not in use556
- 4Samba543 water bodies, 76% not in use543
- 5Reasi1,471 water bodies, 11% not in use429
- 6Rajouri761 water bodies, 6% not in use260
- 7Kupwarar270 water bodies, 24% not in use226
- 8Poonch202 water bodies, 44% not in use182
- 9Pulwama225 water bodies, 9% not in use102
- 10Anantnag161 water bodies, 32% not in use72
- 11Doda99 water bodies, 51% not in use68
- 12Kulgam43 water bodies, 23% not in use35
- 13Shopian36 water bodies, 19% not in use24
- 14Ramban45 water bodies, 9% not in use17
- 15Bandipora38 water bodies, 16% not in use11
- 16Budgam12 water bodies, 25% not in use10
- 17Baramulla15 water bodies, 53% not in use6