These man-made depressions fill with runoff water and eventually feed underground freshwater “lenses” floating on top of the saline aquifer (e.g. tajamares in Uruguay and Paraguay, chirle in Turkmenistan). Water pumps are used to pump the water back up to the surface. The water is used for livestock consumption and domestic use after filtration and/or chlorination but
also serves to artificially recharge groundwater aquifers. Artificial recharge through infiltration ponds can be applied almost anywhere, provided that there is a supply of clean fresh water available at least part of the year, the bottom of the pond is permeable, and the aquifer to be recharged is at or near the surface. (Mekdaschi & Liniger 2013)