* Build small reservoirs (5-10 ha) in large watersheds – when built with a good spillway, there is no problem and reservoirs fill up quickly. Siting in this case is best determined by proximity to a village, topographical geometry or presence of roads/access. Hydrology comes into play in the design for larger reservoirs (>15 ha). However, when constructing valley dams specifically (those in a seasonal watercourse), the rule of thumb is not to build small reservoirs (below 10,000 m3) in catchments larger than 400 ha (1,000 acres), otherwise the amount of overflow is excessive to the point of creating washed-out spillways.
* In pastoralist areas, it might be good to site ponds in areas where traditionally pasture is used first after the rains. In this way, as much water as possible can be used to cover water demand before it is taken by seepage and evaporation, leaving other sources with less seepage and evaporation, e.g. sand dams, to be used later on in pasture accessed during the dry season.
{{procontable | pro=
- Even if using a pond for direct water use, ponds nevertheless recharge into surrounding ground and can recharge wells around the pond so there is continued water after pond dries up. <br>
| con= - Silt up very easily due to lost vegetation cover in catchment area, leading to soil erosion under intense rainfall and high run-off volumes. De-silting takes time and money. <br>
- Relatively small water quantities can be harvested <br>
- Polypropylene mesh is hard to find in some areas <br>
- Effects of storm damage due to site and fragility of nets if maintenance is not performed <br>
- Vandalism and lack of maintenance – due to the distance between structures and a population <br>
}}
==Construction, operations and maintenance==
