Ponds are waterbodies of non-running water, that are shallow and usually small (up to a few dozen hectares only), and that result from waterproof soil structure.
Most ponds result from human action, by profiling either the course of a stream with dykes, or a naturally wet place fed either by rainwater, a spring, surface run-off or a shallow water-table.
Some ponds are exploited for the production of freshwater fishes, others are maintained for leisure activities, irrigation or watering. In many places, ponds have become flora and fauna conservation areas, often used to raise the awareness of the public on wetlands.
