Survey
Map the pond's full original area, its inlets and its catchment, and record encroachments and sewage outfalls.
Ponds and lakes in Delhi
525ponds, out of 893 water bodies
The 1st Census of Water Bodies counted 893 water bodies in Delhi. 656 of them were not in use and 216 had been encroached upon. Pick a district below to see its ponds on a map, village by village.
What the census counted in Delhi
656 of 893 water bodies (73%) are not in use: dried up, silted, built over or polluted. Bringing them back is one of the cheapest ways to recharge groundwater.
893ponds, tanks, lakes and other water bodies
525of them are ponds (59%)
27%still in use (237)
216encroached upon
- Ponds525
- Tanks4
- Lakes14
- Check dams and percolation tanks1
- Others349
Source: 1st Census of Water Bodies, Ministry of Jal Shakti (counted in 2018-19, published 2023).
Ponds in each district of Delhi
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.
- 1South West219 water bodies, 17% not in use190
- 2North160 water bodies, 93% not in use114
- 3North West130 water bodies, 100% not in use84
- 4West77 water bodies, 71% not in use48
- 5South106 water bodies, 97% not in use42
- 6New Delhi49 water bodies, 73% not in use26
- 7Central18 water bodies, 89% not in use7
- 8East51 water bodies, 100% not in use2
- 9Shahdara16 water bodies, 100% not in use1
Groundwater in Delhi
Ponds are one way rain gets back into the ground. See how hard Delhi is pumping its groundwater, district by district.
Bringing a pond in Delhi 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 Delhi?
The 1st Census of Water Bodies (Ministry of Jal Shakti, counted in 2018-19, published 2023) counted 525 ponds in Delhi, out of 893 water bodies in all.
How many lakes are there in Delhi?
The 1st Census of Water Bodies counted 14 lakes and 0 reservoirs in Delhi, along with 4 tanks.
How many water bodies in Delhi are not in use?
656 of the 893 water bodies (73%) were not in use when counted: dried up, silted, cut off from their catchment, polluted or built over. 216 had been encroached upon.
Which district of Delhi has the most ponds?
South West, with 190 ponds and 219 water bodies in all, according to the 1st Census of Water Bodies.
How do ponds help groundwater in Delhi?
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.