Un estanque es una pequeña cavidad de agua, natural o artificial, utilizado cotidianamente para proveer al riego, criar peces, nadar, etcétera, o con fines meramente ornamentales. Los estanques forman parte del dominio público, si son de agua salada y comunican con el mar. Los estanques particulares están sometidos a las leyes generales de la propiedad y de la salubridad pública, y pertenecen al dueño del suelo que cubren. Los peces son un accesorio de los estanques y constituyen bienes muebles por disposición legal. Actualmente, una de las principales utilidades de los estanques es la cría y multiplicación de peces (como tencas, carpas y otros). Después de cada desecación debe limpiarse el estanque y dragar el lodo, el cual, expuesto al aire, constituye un excelente abono. Después de estercolado, se siembran en el fondo plantas pratenses de tallo duro; éstas, una vez segadas a fines de la primavera, formarán sobre el suelo un césped cepillo, contra el que se restregarán los reproductores para depositar sus huevos. Un ejemplo de estanque con utilidad paisajística u ornamental es el Estanque Grande del Retiro en la ciudad de Madrid (España).

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A pond is a body of standing water, either natural or artificial, that is usually smaller than a lake. They may arise naturally in floodplains as part of a river system, or they may be somewhat isolated depressions (examples include vernal pools and prairie potholes). Usually they contain shallow water with marsh and aquatic plants and animals. A few animals also make their home in ponds, including both alligators and beavers. The type of life in a pond is generally determined by a combination of factors including water level regime (particularly depth and duration of flooding) and nutrient levels, but other factors may also be important, including presence or absence of shading by trees, presence or absence of streams, effects of grazing animals, and salinity. Ponds are frequently human-constructed. In the countryside farmers and villagers dig a pond in their backyard or increase the depth of an existing pond by removing layers of mud during summer season. A wide variety of artificial bodies of water are classified as ponds. Some ponds are created specifically for habitat restoration, including water treatment. Others, like water gardens, water features and koi ponds are designed for aesthetic ornamentation as landscape or architectural features. Fish ponds are designed for commercial fish breeding, and solar ponds designed to store thermal energy.Standing bodies of water such as puddles, ponds, and lakes are often categorized separately from flowing water courses, such as brooks, creeks, streams or rivers. Nutrient levels and water quality in ponds can be controlled through natural process such as algal growth, or through artificial filtration, such as an algae scrubber.

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