Survey
Map the pond's full original area, its inlets and its catchment, and record encroachments and sewage outfalls.
Ponds and lakes in Meghalaya
10,564ponds, out of 13,332 water bodies
The 1st Census of Water Bodies counted 13,332 water bodies in Meghalaya. 712 of them were not in use and 6 had been encroached upon. Pick a district below to see its ponds on a map, village by village.
What the census counted in Meghalaya
712 of 13,332 water bodies (5%) are not in use: dried up, silted, built over or polluted. Bringing them back is one of the cheapest ways to recharge groundwater.
13,332ponds, tanks, lakes and other water bodies
10,564of them are ponds (79%)
95%still in use (12,620)
6encroached upon
- Ponds10,564
- Tanks100
- Lakes75
- Reservoirs101
- Check dams and percolation tanks2,316
- Others176
Source: 1st Census of Water Bodies, Ministry of Jal Shakti (counted in 2018-19, published 2023).
Ponds in each district of Meghalaya
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.
- 1Ri Bhoi2,677 water bodies, 1% not in use2,144
- 2West Garo Hills2,335 water bodies, 5% not in use1,952
- 3North Garo Hills1,304 water bodies, 4% not in use1,296
- 4West Jaintia Hills1,640 water bodies, 6% not in use1,017
- 5West Khasi Hills1,158 water bodies, 4% not in use1,007
- 6South West Khasi Hills678 water bodies, 1% not in use625
- 7South West Garo Hills625 water bodies, 30% not in use550
- 8South Garo Hills747 water bodies, 18% not in use515
Groundwater in Meghalaya
Ponds are one way rain gets back into the ground. See how hard Meghalaya is pumping its groundwater, district by district.
Bringing a pond in Meghalaya 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 Meghalaya?
The 1st Census of Water Bodies (Ministry of Jal Shakti, counted in 2018-19, published 2023) counted 10,564 ponds in Meghalaya, out of 13,332 water bodies in all.
How many lakes are there in Meghalaya?
The 1st Census of Water Bodies counted 75 lakes and 101 reservoirs in Meghalaya, along with 100 tanks.
How many water bodies in Meghalaya are not in use?
712 of the 13,332 water bodies (5%) were not in use when counted: dried up, silted, cut off from their catchment, polluted or built over. 6 had been encroached upon.
Which district of Meghalaya has the most ponds?
Ri Bhoi, with 2,144 ponds and 2,677 water bodies in all, according to the 1st Census of Water Bodies.
How do ponds help groundwater in Meghalaya?
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.