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Ponds and lakes · Bihar

Ponds and lakes in Purnea

981ponds, out of 1,501 water bodies

The 1st Census of Water Bodies counted 1,501 ponds, tanks, lakes and other water bodies in Purnea district. 1,499 of them (100%) were not in use and 7 had been encroached upon. Purnea has the 18th most ponds of the 37 districts in Bihar the census counted.

Every water body the census counted in Purnea

1,499 of 1,501 water bodies (100%) 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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  • Ponds981
  • Tanks336
  • Lakes139
  • Reservoirs45

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

Why Purnea's ponds matter for its groundwater

38%Safe

Purnea pumps out 38% 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 Purnea

Bringing a pond in Purnea 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 Purnea?

The 1st Census of Water Bodies (Ministry of Jal Shakti, counted in 2018-19, published 2023) counted 981 ponds in Purnea district, out of 1,501 water bodies in all. That is the 18th most ponds of 37 districts in Bihar counted by the census.

How many lakes are there in Purnea?

The 1st Census of Water Bodies counted 139 lakes and 45 reservoirs in Purnea district, along with 336 tanks.

How many water bodies in Purnea are not in use?

1,499 of the 1,501 water bodies (100%) were not in use when counted: dried up, silted, cut off from their catchment, polluted or built over. 7 had been encroached upon.

How do ponds help groundwater in Purnea?

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 Purnea running out?

In the 2025 Central Ground Water Board assessment, Purnea district pumped out 38% of the groundwater that can safely be taken out each year ("safe").

Ponds in other districts of Bihar

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

  1. 1Banka3,344 water bodies, 7% not in use3,164
  2. 2Siwan2,978 water bodies, 66% not in use2,936
  3. 3Madhubani4,893 water bodies, 86% not in use2,736
  4. 4Darbhanga3,759 water bodies, 99% not in use1,813
  5. 5Sitamarhi2,184 water bodies, 62% not in use1,670
  6. 6Gopalganj1,678 water bodies, 78% not in use1,645
  7. 7Vaishali1,635 water bodies, 2% not in use1,635
  8. 8Nalanda2,298 water bodies, 14% not in use1,351
  9. 9Aurangabad1,652 water bodies, 22% not in use1,316
  10. 10Saran1,259 water bodies, 9% not in use1,228
  11. 11Buxar1,267 water bodies, 2% not in use1,223
  12. 12Araria1,981 water bodies, 96% not in use1,167
  13. 13Rohtas1,209 water bodies, 2% not in use1,156
  14. 14Kaimur1,329 water bodies, 5% not in use1,152
  15. 15Supaul1,129 water bodies, 5% not in use1,125
  16. 16Bhojpur1,207 water bodies, 10% not in use1,046
  17. 17Gaya1,265 water bodies, 30% not in use1,020
  18. 18West Champaran926 water bodies, 59% not in use854
  19. 19Sheikhpura939 water bodies, 6% not in use840
  20. 20Saharsa811 water bodies, 0% not in use807
  21. 21Muzaffarpur785 water bodies, 91% not in use775
  22. 22Katihar965 water bodies, 100% not in use415
  23. 23Sheohar371 water bodies, 89% not in use358
  24. 24Arwal546 water bodies, 0% not in use338
  25. 25Patna360 water bodies, 28% not in use337
  26. 26Kishanganj341 water bodies, 100% not in use318
  27. 27Madhepura221 water bodies, 4% not in use220
  28. 28Bhagalpur224 water bodies, 92% not in use218
  29. 29Samastipur522 water bodies, 98% not in use207
  30. 30Munger190 water bodies, 32% not in use140
  31. 31Begusarai139 water bodies, 3% not in use137
  32. 32Lakhisarai140 water bodies, 9% not in use133
  33. 33Jamui1,046 water bodies, 91% not in use105
  34. 34Khagaria178 water bodies, 99% not in use92
  35. 35Jehanabad98 water bodies, 4% not in use67
  36. 36Nawada49 water bodies, 0% not in use49

All ponds and lakes in Bihar