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Ponds and lakes · Maharashtra

Ponds and lakes in Pune

25ponds, out of 3,680 water bodies

The 1st Census of Water Bodies counted 3,680 ponds, tanks, lakes and other water bodies in Pune district. 0 of them (0%) were not in use and 1 had been encroached upon. Pune has the 10th most ponds of the 34 districts in Maharashtra the census counted.

Every water body the census counted in Pune

0 of 3,680 water bodies (0%) 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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  • Ponds25
  • Tanks200
  • Lakes16
  • Reservoirs2
  • Check dams and percolation tanks3,437

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

Why Pune's ponds matter for its groundwater

63%Safe

Pune pumps out 63% 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 Pune

Bringing a pond in Pune 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 Pune?

The 1st Census of Water Bodies (Ministry of Jal Shakti, counted in 2018-19, published 2023) counted 25 ponds in Pune district, out of 3,680 water bodies in all. That is the 10th most ponds of 34 districts in Maharashtra counted by the census.

How many lakes are there in Pune?

The 1st Census of Water Bodies counted 16 lakes and 2 reservoirs in Pune district, along with 200 tanks.

How many water bodies in Pune are not in use?

0 of the 3,680 water bodies (0%) 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 Pune?

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 Pune running out?

In the 2025 Central Ground Water Board assessment, Pune district pumped out 63% of the groundwater that can safely be taken out each year ("safe").

Ponds in other districts of Maharashtra

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

  1. 1Raigad1,750 water bodies, 9% not in use321
  2. 2Nashik6,137 water bodies, 2% not in use112
  3. 3Thane1,278 water bodies, 0% not in use73
  4. 4Nanded2,724 water bodies, 0% not in use50
  5. 5Beed4,235 water bodies, 2% not in use41
  6. 6Kolhapur1,338 water bodies, 0% not in use40
  7. 7Osmanabad3,272 water bodies, 0% not in use35
  8. 8Palghar1,204 water bodies, 3% not in use35
  9. 9Solapur3,338 water bodies, 0% not in use29
  10. 10Satara3,756 water bodies, 0% not in use24
  11. 11Hingoli1,657 water bodies, 0% not in use20
  12. 12Sindhudurg574 water bodies, 5% not in use20
  13. 13Ahmednagar4,994 water bodies, 1% not in use13
  14. 14Ratnagiri795 water bodies, 1% not in use13
  15. 15Sangli2,280 water bodies, 0% not in use11
  16. 16Nandurbar3,009 water bodies, 6% not in use10
  17. 17Jalgaon3,071 water bodies, 6% not in use9
  18. 18Latur2,186 water bodies, 0% not in use5
  19. 19Dhule3,557 water bodies, 4% not in use4
  20. 20Aurangabad5,683 water bodies, 0% not in use3
  21. 21Chandrapur4,878 water bodies, 0% not in use2
  22. 22Gondia4,100 water bodies, 0% not in use2
  23. 23Amravati1,699 water bodies, 0% not in use1
  24. 24Jalna5,319 water bodies, 0% not in use0
  25. 25Buldhana3,611 water bodies, 0% not in use0
  26. 26Nagpur3,269 water bodies, 0% not in use0
  27. 27Gadchiroli3,028 water bodies, 0% not in use0
  28. 28Bhandara2,720 water bodies, 1% not in use0
  29. 29Yawatmal2,316 water bodies, 0% not in use0
  30. 30Washim2,111 water bodies, 0% not in use0
  31. 31Parbhani1,688 water bodies, 0% not in use0
  32. 32Wardha1,372 water bodies, 0% not in use0
  33. 33Akola433 water bodies, 0% not in use0

All ponds and lakes in Maharashtra