It is the most common method of fish culture. Water is maintained in an enclosed area by artificially constructed ponds where the aquatic animals such the finfish and shellfish are reared. The ponds may be filled with canal water, rain water, bore well water or from other water sources. The pond must be constructed after proper site selection. The climate, topography, water availability and soil quality of the region influence the character of the fish pond.
For watershed ponds, water required to fill and maintain the pond water is entirely sourced from the watershed runoff, though groundwater (bore well) and surface water (stream and reservoirs) can be used as additional water sources. The major factors to be considered are soil type, characteristics, topography and water supplies.
Levee ponds are created in flat land areas where there is inadequate water to fill the ponds from the watershed. The groundwater is typically used to fill the ponds.