Survey
Map the pond's full original area, its inlets and its catchment, and record encroachments and sewage outfalls.
Ponds and lakes in Mizoram
1,305ponds, out of 2,185 water bodies
The 1st Census of Water Bodies counted 2,185 water bodies in Mizoram. 122 of them were not in use and 7 had been encroached upon. Pick a district below to see its ponds on a map, village by village.
What the census counted in Mizoram
122 of 2,185 water bodies (6%) are not in use: dried up, silted, built over or polluted. Bringing them back is one of the cheapest ways to recharge groundwater.
2,185ponds, tanks, lakes and other water bodies
1,305of them are ponds (60%)
94%still in use (2,063)
7encroached upon
- Ponds1,305
- Tanks819
- Lakes30
- Reservoirs17
- Check dams and percolation tanks9
- Others5
Source: 1st Census of Water Bodies, Ministry of Jal Shakti (counted in 2018-19, published 2023).
Ponds in each district of Mizoram
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.
- 1Kolasib720 water bodies, 2% not in use488
- 2Mamit559 water bodies, 13% not in use443
- 3Serchhip311 water bodies, 1% not in use185
- 4Champhai179 water bodies, 6% not in use106
- 5Aizawl279 water bodies, 4% not in use37
- 6Lunglei62 water bodies, 6% not in use23
- 7Lawngtlai55 water bodies, 20% not in use20
- 8Saiha20 water bodies, 0% not in use3
Groundwater in Mizoram
Ponds are one way rain gets back into the ground. See how hard Mizoram is pumping its groundwater, district by district.
Bringing a pond in Mizoram 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 Mizoram?
The 1st Census of Water Bodies (Ministry of Jal Shakti, counted in 2018-19, published 2023) counted 1,305 ponds in Mizoram, out of 2,185 water bodies in all.
How many lakes are there in Mizoram?
The 1st Census of Water Bodies counted 30 lakes and 17 reservoirs in Mizoram, along with 819 tanks.
How many water bodies in Mizoram are not in use?
122 of the 2,185 water bodies (6%) were not in use when counted: dried up, silted, cut off from their catchment, polluted or built over. 7 had been encroached upon.
Which district of Mizoram has the most ponds?
Kolasib, with 488 ponds and 720 water bodies in all, according to the 1st Census of Water Bodies.
How do ponds help groundwater in Mizoram?
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.