Groundwater regeneration by ponds is a process of replenishing the underground water resources by using ponds as natural reservoirs. Ponds can capture rainwater and runoff, and allow it to percolate into the soil and recharge the aquifers. This can help in improving the water availability and quality, as well as mitigating the effects of drought and climate change.

According to some sources, India has about 2.4 million ponds, which cover about 0.4% of the country’s land area1. However, many of these ponds are degraded due to pollution, encroachment, siltation, and neglect. This reduces their capacity to store and filter water, and affects the ecosystem services they provide. Therefore, there is a need to restore and conserve the pond ecosystems in India.

Some of the strategies for pond restoration and conservation include2:

• Legal and policy reforms to recognize the value of ponds and protect them from threats.
• Nature-based solutions (NBS) such as constructed wetlands, biofilters, and aquatic plants to enhance the water quality and biodiversity of ponds.
• Technologies such as environmental-DNA (e-DNA), life cycle assessment (LCA), and remote sensing to monitor and evaluate the pond conditions and impacts.
• Community participation and awareness to involve the local stakeholders in the management and maintenance of ponds.

Pond regeneration can also contribute to the circular economy (CE), which is a system that aims to minimize waste and maximize resource efficiency. Ponds can support the CE by2:

• Providing water for multiple purposes such as irrigation, drinking, and recreation.
• Recycling nutrients and organic matter from wastewater and agricultural runoff.
• Sequestering carbon and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
• Supporting livelihoods and income generation through fisheries, tourism, and other activities.