Survey
Map the pond's full original area, its inlets and its catchment, and record encroachments and sewage outfalls.
Ponds and lakes in Mahasamund
2,683ponds, out of 2,760 water bodies
The 1st Census of Water Bodies counted 2,760 ponds, tanks, lakes and other water bodies in Mahasamund district. 604 of them (22%) were not in use and 17 had been encroached upon. Mahasamund has the most ponds of the 21 districts in Chhattisgarh the census counted.
Every water body the census counted in Mahasamund
604 of 2,760 water bodies (22%) 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 Mahasamund…
- Ponds2,683
- Tanks17
- Lakes2
- Reservoirs13
- Check dams and percolation tanks1
- Others44
Source: 1st Census of Water Bodies, Ministry of Jal Shakti (counted in 2018-19, published 2023).
Why Mahasamund's ponds matter for its groundwater
60%Safe
Mahasamund pumps out 60% 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 Mahasamund 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 Mahasamund?
The 1st Census of Water Bodies (Ministry of Jal Shakti, counted in 2018-19, published 2023) counted 2,683 ponds in Mahasamund district, out of 2,760 water bodies in all. That is the 1st most ponds of 21 districts in Chhattisgarh counted by the census.
How many lakes are there in Mahasamund?
The 1st Census of Water Bodies counted 2 lakes and 13 reservoirs in Mahasamund district, along with 17 tanks.
How many water bodies in Mahasamund are not in use?
604 of the 2,760 water bodies (22%) were not in use when counted: dried up, silted, cut off from their catchment, polluted or built over. 17 had been encroached upon.
How do ponds help groundwater in Mahasamund?
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 Mahasamund running out?
In the 2025 Central Ground Water Board assessment, Mahasamund district pumped out 60% 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.
- 1Raipur2,624 water bodies, 10% not in use2,585
- 2Balod1,800 water bodies, 9% not in use1,745
- 3Dhamtari1,741 water bodies, 7% not in use1,715
- 4Gariaband1,683 water bodies, 11% not in use1,652
- 5Mungeli1,593 water bodies, 10% not in use1,578
- 6Bemetara1,616 water bodies, 13% not in use1,560
- 7Jashpur1,552 water bodies, 20% not in use1,464
- 8Kabirdham1,536 water bodies, 20% not in use1,438
- 9Durg1,432 water bodies, 23% not in use1,364
- 10Kanker1,449 water bodies, 13% not in use1,348
- 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