Based on the national environmental quality standard for surface water (GB3838-2002) by State Environmental Protection Administration of China, the results showed that the water of ponds around Dianchi Lake was not polluted by heavy metals except for Pb. However, the present study indicated that the concentrations of most heavy metals in the sediments of these ponds exceeded their corresponding background values. Com- pared with heavy metal levels of sediments in Dianchi Lake (Zhang et al., 2014), the mean concentrations of measured heavy metals in these ponds were relatively low. Pb was found to be one of the most enriched heavy metals in both Dianchi Lake and surrounding ponds, with an enrichment factor of 4.61. Soil can be contaminated by Pb from car exhaust, dust, and gases from various industrial sources. Pb was found to be acute toxic to human beings when present in high amounts (Tangahu et al., 2011). Sadiq et al. (2003) indicated that low concentrations of Pb might still pose toxicological threats to life in marine environments in comparison with other heavy metals. Therefore, local government and the environmental protection agencies should pay more attention to the problem of Pb pollution in water and sediments.