Patna. Serious figures have emerged regarding the continuously decreasing number of lakes and water sources in Bihar. According to the data of the Planning and Development Department, a total of 2435 lakes have disappeared in 6 years, which has been revealed by the recent water body census.
Lakes are also disappearing due to continuous floods in Bihar. Now very alarming figures have emerged regarding water crisis in the state. More than 90 percent of all the districts have ceased to exist in just six years. Whose direct impact can be seen on both drinking water and agriculture. According to the figures revealed in the census of water bodies, 2435 lakes of the state have disappeared. Now only 258 lakes are left in the entire state.
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There are ten such districts in the state where there is not even a single lake. Only one lake is left in six districts. Increasing population, encroachment, urbanization, climate change and accumulation of silt inside the lakes are the main reasons for extinction. Due to this, the water holding capacity of lakes is continuously decreasing.
In the first water body census conducted in all 38 districts of the state in the year 2018-19, the total number of lakes was 2693. Whereas in the second census conducted in 2024-25, 2435 of these lakes i.e. 90 percent have disappeared.
There is not a single lake in these districts
The most worrying situation in the figures revealed is that of 10 districts of Bihar. In the second census of the water body, not a single lake was found here. These include Arwal, Begusarai, Jehanabad, Katihar, Khagaria, Lakhisarai, Madhubani, Jamui, Saran, Shivhar. Earlier natural water sources existed here, but now not a single lake is left.
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Six such districts where there is only one lake
There are 6 such districts in the state where only one lake is left. These include Gopalganj, Munger, Purnia, Sitamarhi, Siwan and Supaul. Purnia’s figures in this report have surprised everyone. Earlier there used to be two lakes here, but due to increasing population and number of buildings, both the lakes here have disappeared.
565 lakes missing from Darbhanga
In this report, the picture of Darbhanga looks very delicate. In the first census conducted in the year 2018-19, the total number of lakes in Darbhanga was 567. But after 6 years only two lakes are left here. Earlier there were eight such districts in Bihar, where there were 139 to 567 lakes. But today there are not even 50 lakes in these districts. Maximum 48 lakes are left in Buxar.
Where and how many lakes?
Patna-19, Banka-14, Bhagalpur-18, Bhojpur- 37, Buxar- 48, Gaya- 03, Kishanganj- 28, Madhepura- 05, Muzaffarpur- 04, Nalanda- 02, Nawada- 03, West Champaran- 03, East Champaran- 06, Rohtas- 04, Saharsa- 06, Samastipur – 04, Sheikhpura – 05, Vaishali – 07
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The area of the largest lake is decreasing
The area of Kawar Lake, the largest lake of Bihar, is decreasing rapidly. In the year 1984, its area was 6786 hectares, which has now become two thousand hectares. The government is doing renovation work to save the dry Matsyagandha lake in Saharsa. Kharagpur Lake of Munger, Kusheshwarsthan Lake of Darbhanga, Machhalind Lake of Bodhgaya, Udaipur Lake of West Champaran, Gokul Lake of Buxar are also in trouble.
What is the reason?
There are both natural and human reasons behind the disappearing lakes. There are many reasons behind the disappearance of lakes, in which a huge decline in numbers has been recorded due to farming, urbanization, encroachment, siltation and climate change. According to the released report, farming related activities took place in more than 500 lakes that disappeared. Many lakes have been captured by land mafia and are being filled and used for residential use.
Rapid urbanization, unplanned expansion and construction and real estate pressure have also emerged as major reasons. Due to continuous accumulation of silt in the bottom of the lakes, their water holding capacity has reduced. The water sources which once used to store rain water for months are now losing their ability to hold water.
Changing climate change due to global warming has brought about a major change in the rainfall pattern. Due to this, there is very little rainfall in some areas and it is happening more than the capacity in some places. Due to this, instead of flowing slowly, the water flows out very fast.