Survey
Map the pond's full original area, its inlets and its catchment, and record encroachments and sewage outfalls.
Ponds and lakes in Chhattisgarh
32,893ponds, out of 34,000 water bodies
The 1st Census of Water Bodies counted 34,000 water bodies in Chhattisgarh. 5,024 of them were not in use and 111 had been encroached upon. Pick a district below to see its ponds on a map, village by village.
What the census counted in Chhattisgarh
5,024 of 34,000 water bodies (15%) are not in use: dried up, silted, built over or polluted. Bringing them back is one of the cheapest ways to recharge groundwater.
34,000ponds, tanks, lakes and other water bodies
32,893of them are ponds (97%)
85%still in use (28,976)
111encroached upon
- Ponds32,893
- Tanks311
- Lakes73
- Reservoirs269
- Check dams and percolation tanks237
- Others217
Source: 1st Census of Water Bodies, Ministry of Jal Shakti (counted in 2018-19, published 2023).
Ponds in each district of Chhattisgarh
Districts ranked by number of ponds. The bar shows ponds; the line under each name shows all water bodies and how many are not in use.
- 1Mahasamund2,760 water bodies, 22% not in use2,683
- 2Raipur2,624 water bodies, 10% not in use2,585
- 3Balod1,800 water bodies, 9% not in use1,745
- 4Dhamtari1,741 water bodies, 7% not in use1,715
- 5Gariaband1,683 water bodies, 11% not in use1,652
- 6Mungeli1,593 water bodies, 10% not in use1,578
- 7Bemetara1,616 water bodies, 13% not in use1,560
- 8Jashpur1,552 water bodies, 20% not in use1,464
- 9Kabirdham1,536 water bodies, 20% not in use1,438
- 10Durg1,432 water bodies, 23% not in use1,364
- 11Kanker1,449 water bodies, 13% not in use1,348
- 12Kondagaon1,391 water bodies, 17% not in use1,305
- 13Korba819 water bodies, 7% not in use796
- 14Bastar652 water bodies, 13% not in use639
- 15Balrampur643 water bodies, 30% not in use621
- 16Surguja608 water bodies, 18% not in use541
- 17Narayanpur220 water bodies, 85% not in use204
- 18Dantewada188 water bodies, 7% not in use177
- 19Bijapur170 water bodies, 19% not in use168
- 20Surajpur100 water bodies, 29% not in use85
- 21Sukma20 water bodies, 30% not in use20
Groundwater in Chhattisgarh
Ponds are one way rain gets back into the ground. See how hard Chhattisgarh is pumping its groundwater, district by district.
Bringing a pond in Chhattisgarh 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 Chhattisgarh?
The 1st Census of Water Bodies (Ministry of Jal Shakti, counted in 2018-19, published 2023) counted 32,893 ponds in Chhattisgarh, out of 34,000 water bodies in all.
How many lakes are there in Chhattisgarh?
The 1st Census of Water Bodies counted 73 lakes and 269 reservoirs in Chhattisgarh, along with 311 tanks.
How many water bodies in Chhattisgarh are not in use?
5,024 of the 34,000 water bodies (15%) were not in use when counted: dried up, silted, cut off from their catchment, polluted or built over. 111 had been encroached upon.
Which district of Chhattisgarh has the most ponds?
Mahasamund, with 2,683 ponds and 2,760 water bodies in all, according to the 1st Census of Water Bodies.
How do ponds help groundwater in Chhattisgarh?
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.