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Ponds and lakes · Tamil Nadu

Ponds and lakes in Thanjavur

2,021ponds, out of 4,564 water bodies

The 1st Census of Water Bodies counted 4,564 ponds, tanks, lakes and other water bodies in Thanjavur district. 1,761 of them (39%) were not in use and 553 had been encroached upon. Thanjavur has the 5th most ponds of the 27 districts in Tamil Nadu the census counted.

Every water body the census counted in Thanjavur

1,761 of 4,564 water bodies (39%) 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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  • Ponds2,021
  • Tanks2,160
  • Lakes361
  • Check dams and percolation tanks6
  • Others16

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

Why Thanjavur's ponds matter for its groundwater

101%Over-exploited

Thanjavur pumps out 101% 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 1,761 ponds and tanks not in use are a recharge opportunity going to waste.

Groundwater level in Thanjavur

Bringing a pond in Thanjavur 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 Thanjavur?

The 1st Census of Water Bodies (Ministry of Jal Shakti, counted in 2018-19, published 2023) counted 2,021 ponds in Thanjavur district, out of 4,564 water bodies in all. That is the 5th most ponds of 27 districts in Tamil Nadu counted by the census.

How many lakes are there in Thanjavur?

The 1st Census of Water Bodies counted 361 lakes and 0 reservoirs in Thanjavur district, along with 2,160 tanks.

How many water bodies in Thanjavur are not in use?

1,761 of the 4,564 water bodies (39%) were not in use when counted: dried up, silted, cut off from their catchment, polluted or built over. 553 had been encroached upon.

How do ponds help groundwater in Thanjavur?

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 Thanjavur running out?

In the 2025 Central Ground Water Board assessment, Thanjavur district pumped out 101% of the groundwater that can safely be taken out each year ("over-exploited").

Ponds in other districts of Tamil Nadu

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

  1. 1Ramanathapuram10,292 water bodies, 20% not in use5,237
  2. 2Pudukkottai7,575 water bodies, 45% not in use3,063
  3. 3Sivagangai10,032 water bodies, 41% not in use2,482
  4. 4Thiruvarur6,524 water bodies, 10% not in use2,144
  5. 5Cuddalore3,810 water bodies, 69% not in use1,902
  6. 6Tiruvannamalai5,021 water bodies, 57% not in use1,815
  7. 7Virudhunagar3,707 water bodies, 37% not in use1,567
  8. 8Tiruvallur3,758 water bodies, 57% not in use1,229
  9. 9Kanniyakumari2,532 water bodies, 11% not in use1,203
  10. 10Tiruchirappalli2,875 water bodies, 80% not in use1,190
  11. 11Ariyalur2,293 water bodies, 43% not in use1,051
  12. 12Madurai2,295 water bodies, 60% not in use693
  13. 13Namakkal1,061 water bodies, 67% not in use657
  14. 14Erode1,168 water bodies, 48% not in use652
  15. 15Coimbatore939 water bodies, 85% not in use615
  16. 16Tiruppur776 water bodies, 31% not in use568
  17. 17Perambalur1,078 water bodies, 58% not in use442
  18. 18Karur1,034 water bodies, 66% not in use438
  19. 19Krishnagiri1,719 water bodies, 55% not in use381
  20. 20Thoothukudi1,278 water bodies, 44% not in use342
  21. 21Dharmapuri1,225 water bodies, 69% not in use274
  22. 22Salem896 water bodies, 47% not in use243
  23. 23Dindigul2,350 water bodies, 72% not in use236
  24. 24Chennai305 water bodies, 48% not in use142
  25. 25Theni1,361 water bodies, 83% not in use52
  26. 26The Nilgiris98 water bodies, 1% not in use0

All ponds and lakes in Tamil Nadu