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Ponds and lakes · Gujarat

Ponds and lakes in Surat

431ponds, out of 1,345 water bodies

The 1st Census of Water Bodies counted 1,345 ponds, tanks, lakes and other water bodies in Surat district. 4 of them (0%) were not in use and 0 had been encroached upon. Surat has the 2nd most ponds of the 33 districts in Gujarat the census counted.

Every water body the census counted in Surat

4 of 1,345 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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  • Ponds431
  • Tanks545
  • Reservoirs5
  • Check dams and percolation tanks364

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

Why Surat's ponds matter for its groundwater

42%Safe

Surat pumps out 42% 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 Surat

Bringing a pond in Surat 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 Surat?

The 1st Census of Water Bodies (Ministry of Jal Shakti, counted in 2018-19, published 2023) counted 431 ponds in Surat district, out of 1,345 water bodies in all. That is the 2nd most ponds of 33 districts in Gujarat counted by the census.

How many lakes are there in Surat?

The 1st Census of Water Bodies counted 0 lakes and 5 reservoirs in Surat district, along with 545 tanks.

How many water bodies in Surat are not in use?

4 of the 1,345 water bodies (0%) 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 Surat?

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 Surat running out?

In the 2025 Central Ground Water Board assessment, Surat district pumped out 42% of the groundwater that can safely be taken out each year ("safe").

Ponds in other districts of Gujarat

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

  1. 1Kheda1,752 water bodies, 0% not in use451
  2. 2Ahmedabad1,964 water bodies, 3% not in use417
  3. 3Mahesana2,244 water bodies, 0% not in use379
  4. 4Bharuch2,247 water bodies, 0% not in use339
  5. 5Banaskantha3,121 water bodies, 0% not in use293
  6. 6Anand1,634 water bodies, 0% not in use284
  7. 7Patan1,897 water bodies, 0% not in use215
  8. 8Tapi1,476 water bodies, 0% not in use195
  9. 9Chhota Udepur2,209 water bodies, 0% not in use183
  10. 10Surendranagar1,149 water bodies, 0% not in use180
  11. 11Vadodara2,022 water bodies, 1% not in use153
  12. 12Rajkot2,700 water bodies, 0% not in use147
  13. 13Gandhinagar793 water bodies, 0% not in use146
  14. 14Narmada856 water bodies, 0% not in use138
  15. 15Bhavnagar1,867 water bodies, 0% not in use130
  16. 16Kachchh2,501 water bodies, 0% not in use117
  17. 17Dahod2,250 water bodies, 0% not in use95
  18. 18Panchmahal2,563 water bodies, 0% not in use93
  19. 19Arvalli1,410 water bodies, 0% not in use75
  20. 20Valsad1,770 water bodies, 0% not in use54
  21. 21Navsari1,484 water bodies, 1% not in use45
  22. 22Junagadh970 water bodies, 1% not in use44
  23. 23Amreli1,876 water bodies, 0% not in use37
  24. 24Mahisagar1,161 water bodies, 0% not in use33
  25. 25Devbhumi Dwarka934 water bodies, 0% not in use10
  26. 26Botad376 water bodies, 2% not in use9
  27. 27Gir Somnath546 water bodies, 1% not in use6
  28. 28Dang1,284 water bodies, 0% not in use5
  29. 29Sabarkantha2,107 water bodies, 0% not in use3
  30. 30Morbi1,438 water bodies, 0% not in use3
  31. 31Jamnagar1,782 water bodies, 0% not in use1
  32. 32Porbandar341 water bodies, 1% not in use0

All ponds and lakes in Gujarat