HYDERABAD: Telangana’s water landscape is evolving rather than simply shrinking. While ponds and water conservation structures have recorded a sharp decline, the number of tanks and reservoirs has surged, according to the Second Census of Water Bodies.
Although the state’s total number of recorded water bodies fell from 64,056 in 2017-18 to 53,685 in 2025, category-wise figures reveal contrasting trends across its water network.
Ponds declined from 27,003 in the first census to 24,182 in the second — a loss of 2,821. The steepest decline was recorded in water conservation schemes, percolation tanks and check dams, which fell from 19,239 to 11,687, a drop of 7,552. Conversely, tanks increased from 16,292 to 17,228, while reservoirs rose from 111 to 134. Lakes saw a slight decline from 289 to 278, while the ‘others’ category shrank from 1,122 to 176.
These figures indicate that the overall loss of 10,371 water bodies stems largely from smaller, distributed categories such as check dams and ponds rather than from a uniform statewide contraction.
However, the census does not specify why individual water bodies disappeared. Potential factors include encroachment, siltation, land-use changes, infrastructure expansion, desiccation and reclassification.
The census also highlights the overwhelmingly rural character of Telangana’s water infrastructure: 53,244 of the 53,685 water bodies are located in rural areas, compared with just 441 in urban regions. The water-body network is primarily linked to irrigation, with 30,973 water bodies classified as being primarily used for the purpose. In contrast, only 136 are designated for drinking water and 254 for industrial use.
Private ownership introduces another layer of complexity. Telangana has 6,740 privately owned water bodies, including 5,122 individually held structures, mostly owned by farmers. Their protection, restoration and monitoring therefore involve questions of ownership, access and maintenance.
On the revival front, Telangana restored 367 water bodies over the past five years - comprising 192 tanks, 115 ponds, 55 water conservation structures, three lakes and two reservoirs. However, this figure cannot be directly compared with the total decline of 10,371, as the census measures net changes in the water-body inventory over time, while the revival figures track targeted restoration projects within a five-year window.