Reservoir vs. Pond — What's the Difference?
By Tayyaba Rehman — Updated on November 5, 2023
A reservoir is a large natural or artificial lake used as a source of water supply. A pond is a small body of still water typically smaller than a lake.
Difference Between Reservoir and Pond
Table of Contents
ADVERTISEMENT
Key Differences
A reservoir is generally much larger than a pond and is often created by constructing a dam across a river to store water for human use, such as drinking water, irrigation, or hydroelectric power generation. A pond, conversely, is a small, naturally occurring or man-made body of water that is usually shallow and can be formed by a variety of geological and ecological processes.
The term reservoir implies a purposeful storage of water for various uses, such as water supply, flood control, and recreation. Ponds, on the other hand, may be formed for aesthetic or habitat purposes and do not necessarily serve the function of water storage for human use. A pond is often self-sustaining with its ecosystem and is less likely to be used for public water supply.
Reservoirs are usually part of a larger water management system, controlled by regulatory bodies or water authorities, and have infrastructure in place to maintain the desired water level. Ponds are typically smaller, more isolated water bodies that have less human intervention and control. They are often found in rural or natural settings and can be a focal point for local wildlife.
While reservoirs are often stocked with fish and may allow recreational activities such as boating and fishing, they serve a primary purpose related to resource management. Ponds may also support recreation and fishing but are more often valued for their aesthetic appeal and their ability to support diverse plant and animal life within gardens, parks, and natural settings.
Comparison Chart
Size
Usually large and can be several square miles.
Generally small, can be as simple as a backyard feature.
ADVERTISEMENT
Purpose
Storage of water for supply, power, or irrigation.
Often decorative, sometimes for habitat conservation.
Creation
Often man-made, sometimes natural.
Can be natural or man-made.
Control and Management
Typically managed by authorities or regulatory bodies.
Less managed, may be private or public.
Ecological Complexity
May be complex if large, but often controlled.
Usually complex and self-sustaining ecosystems.
Compare with Definitions
Reservoir
(Anatomy) See cisterna.
Pond
A pond is an area filled with water, either natural or artificial, that is smaller than a lake. Ponds can be created by a wide variety of natural processes (e.g.
Reservoir
A receptacle or chamber for holding a liquid or fluid.
The printer's ink reservoir needs to be refilled.
Pond
A still area of water formed naturally or by hollowing or embanking.
He dug a small pond in his backyard for the fish.
Reservoir
A supply or source of something.
Pond
A small body of water, typically smaller than a lake.
Ducks swam peacefully on the pond.
Reservoir
A storage space for fluids in the body or another system.
The heart acts as a reservoir for the body's blood supply.
Pond
A still body of water smaller than a lake.
Reservoir
A large natural or artificial lake for water storage.
The reservoir supplies water to the entire city.
Pond
A small body of water where aquatic plants and animals thrive.
The pond was teeming with life in the spring.
Reservoir
A place where anything is collected or accumulated in great amount.
They discovered a vast reservoir of natural gas beneath the valley.
Pond
A contained body of water used for leisure or decoration.
The garden's centerpiece was a beautiful koi pond.
Reservoir
An area where fluid collects, especially for use.
The oil reservoir in the car engine needs to be checked regularly.
Pond
A water feature that can be naturally occurring or artificially created.
Frogs are commonly heard at night around the pond.
Reservoir
A reservoir (; from French réservoir [ʁezɛʁvwaʁ]) is most commonly an enlarged natural or artificial lake created using a dam to store water. Reservoirs can be created in a number of ways, including controlling a watercourse that drains an existing body of water, interrupting a watercourse to form an embayment within it, through excavation, or building any number of retaining walls or levees.
Pond
To form ponds or large puddles
Debris blocked the culvert, and the stream began to pond.
Reservoir
A natural or artificial pond or lake used for the storage and regulation of water.
Pond
To cause to form ponds or large puddles
The landslide ponded the stream.
Reservoir
A receptacle or chamber for storing a fluid.
Pond
To form ponds or large puddles on (a piece of land).
Reservoir
An underground accumulation of petroleum or natural gas.
Pond
An inland body of standing water, either natural or man-made, that is smaller than a lake.
Reservoir
A large or extra supply; a reserve
A reservoir of goodwill.
Pond
An inland body of standing water of any size that is fed by springs rather than by a river.
Reservoir
(Medicine) An organism or population that directly or indirectly transmits a pathogen while being virtually immune to its effects.
Pond
(colloquial) The Atlantic Ocean. Especially in across the pond.
I wonder how they do this on the other side of the pond.
I haven't been back home across the pond in twenty years.
Reservoir
A place where anything is kept in store.
Pond
(transitive) To block the flow of water so that it can escape only through evaporation or seepage; to dam.
Reservoir
A large natural or artificial lake used as a source of water supply.
Pond
(transitive) To make into a pond; to collect, as water, in a pond by damming.
Reservoir
A small intercellular space, often containing resin, essential oil, or some other secreted matter.
Pond
(intransitive) To form a pond; to pool.
Reservoir
A species that acts as host to a zoonosis when it is not causing acute illness in other susceptible species.
Pond
To ponder.
Reservoir
(computing) A "black box" component that receives an input signal to be read out and mapped by another process, as part of reservoir computing.
Pond
A body of water, naturally or artificially confined, and usually of less extent than a lake.
Reservoir
(transitive) To store or keep (something) in or as in a reservoir.
Pond
To make into a pond; to collect, as water, in a pond by damming.
Reservoir
A place where anything is kept in store; especially, a place where water is collected and kept for use when wanted, as to supply a fountain, a canal, or a city by means of aqueducts, or to drive a mill wheel, or the like.
Pond
To ponder.
Pleaseth you, pond your suppliant's plaint.
Reservoir
A small intercellular space, often containing resin, essential oil, or some other secreted matter.
Pond
A small lake;
The pond was too small for sailing
Reservoir
A large quantity of infectious microorganisms resident in animals other than man, potentially capable of being transmitted to humans.
Reservoir
A large quantity of infectious microorganisms or parasites resident in animals other than man, potentially capable of being transmitted to humans; especially, such organisms in animals where they do little or no harm to the host.
Reservoir
A large supply or stock of anything which may be rapidly put to use; a reserve.
Reservoir
A large or extra supply of something;
A reservoir of talent
Reservoir
Lake used to store water for community use
Reservoir
Tank used for collecting and storing a liquid (as water or oil)
Reservoir
Anything (a person or animal or plant or substance) in which an infectious agent normally lives and multiplies;
An infectious agent depends on a reservoir for its survival
Common Curiosities
How large is a reservoir compared to a pond?
Reservoirs are typically much larger than ponds, often encompassing vast areas.
Do ponds have a natural ecosystem?
Yes, ponds support their own natural ecosystems with various plants and animals.
What is the primary purpose of a reservoir?
Reservoirs are primarily for water storage for public supply, irrigation, or hydroelectric power.
How are reservoirs created?
Many reservoirs are created by damming rivers, while others can be natural basins.
Can ponds be found in urban areas?
Yes, ponds can be found in parks and gardens within urban settings.
Can a pond become a reservoir?
Technically, if a pond is enlarged and managed for water storage, it could become a reservoir.
Is fishing allowed in reservoirs?
Fishing is allowed in many reservoirs, but regulations vary depending on the reservoir.
What kind of recreational activities can be done on a reservoir?
Boating, fishing, and sometimes swimming are common on reservoirs.
Can ponds be created artificially?
Yes, ponds can be man-made for decorative purposes or as part of environmental conservation.
Are ponds always smaller than lakes?
Generally, yes, ponds are smaller than lakes and often shallower.
Do reservoirs contribute to ecosystem diversity?
Reservoirs can contribute to ecosystem diversity but are often less complex than natural bodies.
Is a pond a significant source of water supply?
No, ponds are usually too small to be used as a primary water supply.
Are there any legal differences between a pond and a reservoir?
Legal differences may exist, particularly regarding water rights and land use.
Do both ponds and reservoirs need to be cleaned?
Yes, both need maintenance and cleaning to ensure environmental health and functionality.
Who maintains public ponds and reservoirs?
Public ponds are often maintained by local parks departments, while reservoirs are managed by water authorities.
Share Your Discovery
Previous Comparison
Thalloid vs. Thallus
Next Comparison
Joyous vs. HappyAuthor Spotlight
Written by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
