Terraces are effective in harvesting surface runoff for cultivating rice and other crops. Gabions are filled with rock and placed across small valleys to act as barrages to retard runoff. Runoff water collected behind the barrage seeps into the ground. Resulting high soil moisture allows farmers to plant crops behind the barrage after rainy season. These roof catchment devices may provide a family with enough drinking water to last through the dry season.
Small ponds provide opportunities for agricultural diversification.
They are suitable for harvesting runoff water in rural areas, thus storing it for many purposes which include small scale irrigation, household uses, livestock watering and aquaculture. Ponds properly built and maintained have an indefinite life. Microcatchment farming concentrates runoff water from a large area into a small basin. Fruit trees or other crops are planted in the basins. A modification of microcatchment farming involves watershed modification to direct and concentrate runoff water into a designated area.