Pond size should be decided according to catchment area and number of fillings possible per year. In order to efficiently capture runoff in a catchment, similar design techniques to contour trenches could be employed for infiltration ponds.
{{procontable | pro=
- Facilitate recharge into surrounding ground which in turn improves soil moisture, improves agricultural productivity and mitigates against drought <br>
- Can assist recharge of shallow wells, boreholes and springs <br>
- Can reduce salinity in groundwater <br>
| con=
- They can silt up easily due to lost vegetation cover in catchment area; de-silting takes time and money <br>
- Maintaining dams requires communal effort and communal institutions don’t seem to be strong enough <br>
- High evaporation rates <br>
- High cost of construction – in India, costs estimated at $5,000-10,000 for ponds that are 10,000-15,000m
ground catchment & open water reservoir” for details
}}
==Construction, operations and maintenance==
