The size of the watershed, or the amount of the area that drains into a pond, is important to the success of the pond. Without special construction considerations, damming an area that carries too much water may cause erosion problems within the pond while too little water may allow the pond to go dry. The minimum area needed in the watershed for each acre of pond surface varies from 1,000 acres in western Kansas to 10 acres in eastern Kansas. Central Kansas ponds usually require a ratio of approximately 30 acres of drainage to 1 acre of pond surface. The best ratio for any specific location depends on the soils, type of vegetation in the watershed, the intended uses of the pond, drainage pattern, springs and slope of the watershed.