Survey
Map the pond's full original area, its inlets and its catchment, and record encroachments and sewage outfalls.
Ponds and lakes in Kerala
51,007ponds, out of 55,734 water bodies
The 1st Census of Water Bodies counted 55,734 water bodies in Kerala. 9,184 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 Kerala
9,184 of 55,734 water bodies (16%) are not in use: dried up, silted, built over or polluted. Bringing them back is one of the cheapest ways to recharge groundwater.
55,734ponds, tanks, lakes and other water bodies
51,007of them are ponds (92%)
84%still in use (46,550)
111encroached upon
- Ponds51,007
- Tanks848
- Lakes4
- Reservoirs63
- Check dams and percolation tanks3,349
- Others463
Source: 1st Census of Water Bodies, Ministry of Jal Shakti (counted in 2018-19, published 2023).
Ponds in each district of Kerala
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.
- 1Palakkad5,988 water bodies, 16% not in use5,795
- 2Kozhikkode6,192 water bodies, 21% not in use5,711
- 3Malappuram5,983 water bodies, 15% not in use5,185
- 4Thrissur5,023 water bodies, 13% not in use4,926
- 5Kannur5,314 water bodies, 14% not in use4,699
- 6Alappuzha4,239 water bodies, 28% not in use4,219
- 7Ernakulam4,416 water bodies, 16% not in use4,042
- 8Idukki3,792 water bodies, 6% not in use3,307
- 9Kottayam3,506 water bodies, 20% not in use3,052
- 10Thiruvananthapuram2,649 water bodies, 15% not in use2,548
- 11Kasargod2,880 water bodies, 16% not in use2,431
- 12Kollam2,352 water bodies, 22% not in use2,278
- 13Wayanad1,943 water bodies, 11% not in use1,434
- 14Pathanamthitta1,457 water bodies, 12% not in use1,380
Groundwater in Kerala
Ponds are one way rain gets back into the ground. See how hard Kerala is pumping its groundwater, district by district.
Bringing a pond in Kerala 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 Kerala?
The 1st Census of Water Bodies (Ministry of Jal Shakti, counted in 2018-19, published 2023) counted 51,007 ponds in Kerala, out of 55,734 water bodies in all.
How many lakes are there in Kerala?
The 1st Census of Water Bodies counted 4 lakes and 63 reservoirs in Kerala, along with 848 tanks.
How many water bodies in Kerala are not in use?
9,184 of the 55,734 water bodies (16%) 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 Kerala has the most ponds?
Palakkad, with 5,795 ponds and 5,988 water bodies in all, according to the 1st Census of Water Bodies.
How do ponds help groundwater in Kerala?
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.