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Ponds and lakes · Haryana

Ponds and lakes in Sonipat

964ponds, out of 982 water bodies

The 1st Census of Water Bodies counted 982 ponds, tanks, lakes and other water bodies in Sonipat district. 163 of them (17%) were not in use and 0 had been encroached upon. Sonipat has the 5th most ponds of the 22 districts in Haryana the census counted.

Every water body the census counted in Sonipat

163 of 982 water bodies (17%) 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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  • Ponds964
  • Tanks9
  • Lakes3
  • Reservoirs1
  • Check dams and percolation tanks2
  • Others3

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

Haryana's own survey of Sonipat

Haryana mapped its ponds from satellite images in 2023, so its count differs from the census, which recorded water bodies on the ground in 2018-19. It also counts the tube wells that pump groundwater for irrigation.

1,945ponds, covering 4,045 acres
327other water bodies such as lakes and tanks, covering 354 acres
33,041tube wells for irrigation (15.6 per km²)

Source: Haryana Water Resources Atlas 2025, Haryana Water Resources Authority. Ponds and water bodies mapped from satellite data in 2023 (Pond Authority Haryana, HARSAC); irrigation tube wells counted in 2022-23 (Ground Water Cell, Haryana).

Why Sonipat's ponds matter for its groundwater

109%Over-exploited

Sonipat pumps out 109% of the groundwater that can safely be taken out each year (2025, Central Ground Water Board), which the board rates over-exploited. Every pond that holds rain long enough for it to soak in puts some of that water back, so the 163 ponds and tanks not in use are a recharge opportunity going to waste.

Groundwater level in Sonipat

Bringing a pond in Sonipat 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 in SonipatOther ways to recharge

Frequently asked questions

How many ponds are there in Sonipat?

The 1st Census of Water Bodies (Ministry of Jal Shakti, counted in 2018-19, published 2023) counted 964 ponds in Sonipat district, out of 982 water bodies in all. Haryana's own satellite mapping in 2023 found 1,945 ponds covering 4,045 acres; the counts differ because one was surveyed on the ground and the other from space. That is the 5th most ponds of 22 districts in Haryana counted by the census.

How many lakes are there in Sonipat?

The 1st Census of Water Bodies counted 3 lakes and 1 reservoir in Sonipat district, along with 9 tanks. Haryana's 2023 satellite mapping counts 327 water bodies other than ponds, such as lakes and tanks, covering 354 acres.

How many water bodies in Sonipat are not in use?

163 of the 982 water bodies (17%) 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 Sonipat?

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 Sonipat running out?

In the 2025 Central Ground Water Board assessment, Sonipat district pumped out 109% of the groundwater that can safely be taken out each year ("over-exploited").

Ponds in other districts of Haryana

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

  1. 1Palwal1,218 water bodies, 56% not in use1,217
  2. 2Hisar1,086 water bodies, 27% not in use1,084
  3. 3Jind1,026 water bodies, 20% not in use992
  4. 4Jhajjar994 water bodies, 49% not in use976
  5. 5Sirsa1,260 water bodies, 15% not in use919
  6. 6Mahendragarh868 water bodies, 100% not in use868
  7. 7Yamuna Nagar799 water bodies, 35% not in use793
  8. 8Ambala775 water bodies, 88% not in use774
  9. 9Rewari771 water bodies, 6% not in use762
  10. 10Kaithal738 water bodies, 25% not in use670
  11. 11Rohtak651 water bodies, 94% not in use651
  12. 12Kurukshetra645 water bodies, 24% not in use645
  13. 13Panipat574 water bodies, 54% not in use571
  14. 14Gurugram535 water bodies, 51% not in use521
  15. 15Charkhi Dadri437 water bodies, 24% not in use432
  16. 16Nuh337 water bodies, 71% not in use337
  17. 17Fatehabad270 water bodies, 0% not in use270
  18. 18Faridabad265 water bodies, 3% not in use263
  19. 19Bhiwani258 water bodies, 7% not in use258
  20. 20Panchkula209 water bodies, 43% not in use209
  21. 21Karnal200 water bodies, 99% not in use200

All ponds and lakes in Haryana