Survey
Map the pond's full original area, its inlets and its catchment, and record encroachments and sewage outfalls.
Ponds and lakes in Pathankot
107ponds, out of 186 water bodies
The 1st Census of Water Bodies counted 186 ponds, tanks, lakes and other water bodies in Pathankot district. 116 of them (62%) were not in use and 0 had been encroached upon. Pathankot has the 21st most ponds of the 21 districts in Punjab the census counted.
Every water body the census counted in Pathankot
116 of 186 water bodies (62%) 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 Pathankot…
- Ponds107
- Tanks32
- Lakes20
- Reservoirs3
- Check dams and percolation tanks18
- Others6
Source: 1st Census of Water Bodies, Ministry of Jal Shakti (counted in 2018-19, published 2023).
Why Pathankot's ponds matter for its groundwater
41%Safe
Pathankot pumps out 41% 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 Pathankot 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 Pathankot?
The 1st Census of Water Bodies (Ministry of Jal Shakti, counted in 2018-19, published 2023) counted 107 ponds in Pathankot district, out of 186 water bodies in all. That is the 21st most ponds of 21 districts in Punjab counted by the census.
How many lakes are there in Pathankot?
The 1st Census of Water Bodies counted 20 lakes and 3 reservoirs in Pathankot district, along with 32 tanks.
How many water bodies in Pathankot are not in use?
116 of the 186 water bodies (62%) were not in use when counted: dried up, silted, cut off from their catchment, polluted or built over. 0 had been encroached upon.
How do ponds help groundwater in Pathankot?
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 Pathankot running out?
In the 2025 Central Ground Water Board assessment, Pathankot district pumped out 41% of the groundwater that can safely be taken out each year ("safe").
Ponds in other districts of Punjab
Districts ranked by number of ponds in the 1st Census of Water Bodies.
- 1Gurdaspur1,484 water bodies, 96% not in use1,420
- 2Patiala1,365 water bodies, 99% not in use1,320
- 3Jalandhar1,315 water bodies, 68% not in use1,264
- 4Hoshiarpur1,265 water bodies, 57% not in use1,195
- 5Ludhiana1,189 water bodies, 97% not in use1,122
- 6Amritsar1,055 water bodies, 3% not in use1,050
- 7Tarn Taran735 water bodies, 18% not in use728
- 8Mansa707 water bodies, 76% not in use687
- 9Bathinda573 water bodies, 1% not in use573
- 10Fatehgarh Sahib639 water bodies, 54% not in use529
- 11Kapurthala527 water bodies, 32% not in use518
- 12Firozpur493 water bodies, 25% not in use492
- 13Fazilka714 water bodies, 2% not in use485
- 14Moga480 water bodies, 0% not in use480
- 15SBS Nagar494 water bodies, 91% not in use441
- 16Muktsar436 water bodies, 33% not in use427
- 17Rupnagar397 water bodies, 59% not in use390
- 18SAS Nagar496 water bodies, 61% not in use377
- 19Faridkot184 water bodies, 17% not in use184
- 20Barnala148 water bodies, 99% not in use145