Survey
Map the pond's full original area, its inlets and its catchment, and record encroachments and sewage outfalls.
Ponds and lakes in Andhra Pradesh
14,132ponds, out of 1,90,777 water bodies
The 1st Census of Water Bodies counted 1,90,777 water bodies in Andhra Pradesh. 41,498 of them were not in use and 3,920 had been encroached upon.
What the census counted in Andhra Pradesh
41,498 of 1,90,777 water bodies (22%) are not in use: dried up, silted, built over or polluted. Bringing them back is one of the cheapest ways to recharge groundwater.
1,90,777ponds, tanks, lakes and other water bodies
14,132of them are ponds (7%)
78%still in use (1,49,279)
3,920encroached upon
- Ponds14,132
- Tanks1,13,425
- Lakes62
- Reservoirs703
- Check dams and percolation tanks57,492
- Others4,963
Source: 1st Census of Water Bodies, Ministry of Jal Shakti (counted in 2018-19, published 2023).
Groundwater in Andhra Pradesh
Ponds are one way rain gets back into the ground. See how hard Andhra Pradesh is pumping its groundwater, district by district.
Bringing a pond in Andhra Pradesh back
Most ponds that are not in use can be revived. The work is the same in a village or a city sector:
Desilt
Dig out the silt that has sealed the bed, so water soaks into the ground again instead of evaporating.
Reconnect
Clear and line the channels that bring rain in, with a silt trap before the pond; divert sewage away from it.
Recharge
Add recharge shafts or wells in the bed where the soil is tight, so water reaches the aquifer faster.
Protect
Fence or plant the banks, mark the boundary and hand upkeep to the panchayat or residents' body.
Frequently asked questions
How many ponds are there in Andhra Pradesh?
The 1st Census of Water Bodies (Ministry of Jal Shakti, counted in 2018-19, published 2023) counted 14,132 ponds in Andhra Pradesh, out of 1,90,777 water bodies in all.
How many lakes are there in Andhra Pradesh?
The 1st Census of Water Bodies counted 62 lakes and 703 reservoirs in Andhra Pradesh, along with 1,13,425 tanks.
How many water bodies in Andhra Pradesh are not in use?
41,498 of the 1,90,777 water bodies (22%) were not in use when counted: dried up, silted, cut off from their catchment, polluted or built over. 3,920 had been encroached upon.
How do ponds help groundwater in Andhra Pradesh?
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.