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Ponds and lakes · Assam

Ponds and lakes in Sibsagar

4,217ponds, out of 4,353 water bodies

The 1st Census of Water Bodies counted 4,353 ponds, tanks, lakes and other water bodies in Sibsagar district. 87 of them (2%) were not in use and 0 had been encroached upon. Sibsagar has the 17th most ponds of the 26 districts in Assam the census counted.

Every water body the census counted in Sibsagar

87 of 4,353 water bodies (2%) 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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  • Ponds4,217
  • Tanks7
  • Reservoirs2
  • Check dams and percolation tanks4
  • Others123

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

Why Sibsagar's ponds matter for its groundwater

6.5%Safe

Sibsagar pumps out 6.5% 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 Sibsagar

Bringing a pond in Sibsagar 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 Sibsagar?

The 1st Census of Water Bodies (Ministry of Jal Shakti, counted in 2018-19, published 2023) counted 4,217 ponds in Sibsagar district, out of 4,353 water bodies in all. That is the 17th most ponds of 26 districts in Assam counted by the census.

How many lakes are there in Sibsagar?

The 1st Census of Water Bodies counted 0 lakes and 2 reservoirs in Sibsagar district, along with 7 tanks.

How many water bodies in Sibsagar are not in use?

87 of the 4,353 water bodies (2%) 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 Sibsagar?

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 Sibsagar running out?

In the 2025 Central Ground Water Board assessment, Sibsagar district pumped out 6% of the groundwater that can safely be taken out each year ("safe").

Ponds in other districts of Assam

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

  1. 1Dibrugarh14,037 water bodies, 1% not in use13,877
  2. 2Kokrajhar10,835 water bodies, 0% not in use10,832
  3. 3Karimganj10,589 water bodies, 0% not in use10,530
  4. 4Dhubri10,509 water bodies, 2% not in use10,296
  5. 5Golaghat9,496 water bodies, 2% not in use9,235
  6. 6Goalpara9,007 water bodies, 1% not in use8,867
  7. 7Morigaon7,803 water bodies, 1% not in use7,753
  8. 8Cachar7,214 water bodies, 5% not in use6,659
  9. 9Lakhimpur6,881 water bodies, 8% not in use6,568
  10. 10Dhemaji6,446 water bodies, 1% not in use6,330
  11. 11Sonitpur5,999 water bodies, 1% not in use5,981
  12. 12Nagaon5,908 water bodies, 5% not in use5,586
  13. 13Udalguri5,621 water bodies, 1% not in use5,537
  14. 14Tinsukia5,146 water bodies, 6% not in use4,969
  15. 15Hailakandi4,850 water bodies, 2% not in use4,689
  16. 16Barpeta4,586 water bodies, 1% not in use4,543
  17. 17Baksa4,181 water bodies, 0% not in use4,170
  18. 18Bongaigaon4,147 water bodies, 0% not in use4,135
  19. 19Nalbari3,414 water bodies, 0% not in use3,405
  20. 20Chirang3,042 water bodies, 1% not in use3,006
  21. 21Jorhat3,138 water bodies, 5% not in use2,978
  22. 22Darrang2,006 water bodies, 3% not in use1,979
  23. 23Karbi Anglong1,830 water bodies, 0% not in use1,800
  24. 24Kamrup (M)1,619 water bodies, 1% not in use1,604
  25. 25Dima Hasao487 water bodies, 0% not in use486

All ponds and lakes in Assam