Ponds also can mitigate both flooding and droughts in waterways downstream by releasing water in a more uniform manner over time. Our local streams flood and then dry out due to quick release by agricultural field tiles. Ponds can catch and store this water for less dramatic extremes downstream. I would have no problem if the benefits from my land on others allowed everyone's tax dollars to pay the permitting and bureaucratic costs associated with evaluating projects, but under the current system, I cannot afford the government overhead for projects that would benefit the environment for everyone. Just one of the unintended effects of poorly constructed regulation.