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Ponds and lakes · Odisha

Ponds and lakes in Mayurbhanj

7,290ponds, out of 15,986 water bodies

The 1st Census of Water Bodies counted 15,986 ponds, tanks, lakes and other water bodies in Mayurbhanj district. 772 of them (5%) were not in use and 117 had been encroached upon. Mayurbhanj has the 4th most ponds of the 30 districts in Odisha the census counted.

Every water body the census counted in Mayurbhanj

772 of 15,986 water bodies (5%) 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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  • Ponds7,290
  • Tanks7,899
  • Lakes36
  • Reservoirs424
  • Check dams and percolation tanks306
  • Others31

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

Why Mayurbhanj's ponds matter for its groundwater

46%Safe

Mayurbhanj pumps out 46% 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 Mayurbhanj

Bringing a pond in Mayurbhanj 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 Mayurbhanj?

The 1st Census of Water Bodies (Ministry of Jal Shakti, counted in 2018-19, published 2023) counted 7,290 ponds in Mayurbhanj district, out of 15,986 water bodies in all. That is the 4th most ponds of 30 districts in Odisha counted by the census.

How many lakes are there in Mayurbhanj?

The 1st Census of Water Bodies counted 36 lakes and 424 reservoirs in Mayurbhanj district, along with 7,899 tanks.

How many water bodies in Mayurbhanj are not in use?

772 of the 15,986 water bodies (5%) were not in use when counted: dried up, silted, cut off from their catchment, polluted or built over. 117 had been encroached upon.

How do ponds help groundwater in Mayurbhanj?

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 Mayurbhanj running out?

In the 2025 Central Ground Water Board assessment, Mayurbhanj district pumped out 46% of the groundwater that can safely be taken out each year ("safe").

Ponds in other districts of Odisha

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

  1. 1Balasore16,804 water bodies, 2% not in use12,456
  2. 2Kendrapara12,509 water bodies, 8% not in use11,628
  3. 3Keonjhar8,912 water bodies, 7% not in use7,617
  4. 4Bhadrak8,334 water bodies, 26% not in use6,755
  5. 5Puri9,808 water bodies, 34% not in use5,698
  6. 6Jagatsinghpur7,957 water bodies, 37% not in use5,190
  7. 7Bolangir5,756 water bodies, 13% not in use4,578
  8. 8Kalahandi6,714 water bodies, 4% not in use3,276
  9. 9Nabarangapur9,760 water bodies, 11% not in use3,085
  10. 10Cuttack4,691 water bodies, 9% not in use3,071
  11. 11Koraput4,079 water bodies, 16% not in use2,629
  12. 12Khurda5,857 water bodies, 6% not in use2,359
  13. 13Sambalpur4,554 water bodies, 18% not in use2,032
  14. 14Rayagada3,741 water bodies, 6% not in use2,004
  15. 15Angul4,251 water bodies, 4% not in use1,669
  16. 16Subarnapur3,530 water bodies, 7% not in use1,655
  17. 17Ganjam8,632 water bodies, 9% not in use1,618
  18. 18Jajpur3,711 water bodies, 4% not in use1,402
  19. 19Gajapati2,037 water bodies, 14% not in use1,329
  20. 20Kandhamal1,594 water bodies, 6% not in use1,291
  21. 21Sundargarh3,832 water bodies, 14% not in use873
  22. 22Malkangiri6,007 water bodies, 1% not in use856
  23. 23Bargarh5,171 water bodies, 14% not in use781
  24. 24Nayagarh4,014 water bodies, 4% not in use715
  25. 25Nuapada3,337 water bodies, 2% not in use646
  26. 26Dhenkanal4,338 water bodies, 5% not in use629
  27. 27Boudh1,745 water bodies, 5% not in use503
  28. 28Deogarh1,333 water bodies, 15% not in use280
  29. 29Jharsuguda2,843 water bodies, 5% not in use110

All ponds and lakes in Odisha