---
title: Is There a Limit to Detention/ Retention Pond Area?
description: "When it comes to designing detention and retention ponds in Malaysia, one question often raised is whether the pond area must not exceed a certain percentage of the catchment or development area. Here's a breakdown of the relevant guidelines and…"
url: "https://mes100.com/docs/is-there-a-limit-to-detention-retention-pond-area/"
updated: "2025-06-03"
category: FAQ / MSMA
---

# Is There a Limit to Detention/ Retention Pond Area?

When it comes to designing detention and retention ponds in Malaysia, one question often raised is whether the pond area must not exceed a certain percentage of the catchment or development area. Here's a breakdown of the relevant guidelines and common practices adopted across Malaysia to help clarify this.

##  **MiTS Key Design References: MSMA 2.0 and SuSTOM**

In MiTS, our detention facility design refers to the following guidelines:

1. [MSMA 2.0 (Urban Stormwater Management Manual for Malaysia)](https://www.water.gov.my/jps/resources/MSMA2ndEdition_august_2012.pdf)
2. [SuSTOM (Sarawak Urban Stormwater Management Guideline)](https://mes100.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/SUStoM-Guideline-ilovepdf-compressed.pdf)

These two references form the backbone of stormwater design in both Peninsular Malaysia and Sarawak. Let’s look into how each guidelines addresses detention pond sizing.

## **What Does SuSTOM Say?**

SuSTOM provides clear guidance on detention/retention pond sizing in Sarawak. It states that the pond area shall occupy **3% to 5%** of the project development area. This guideline is relatively straightforward and often used as the primary sizing baseline in Sarawak-based projects.

![](https://i0.wp.com/mes100.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Screenshot-2025-05-29-145739.png?resize=875%2C645&ssl=1)
Detention/ Retention Pond Requirement in SuSTOM

## **What About MSMA 2.0?**

While MSMA 2.0 **does not prescribe a specific percentage** for detention/ retention pond area, many consultants and local councils in Peninsular Malaysia will use rule of thumb as a preliminary pond grading estimation before refining with actual calculations. 

Below are common practices that engineers follow:

| **CRITERIA** | **TYPICAL/ RECOMMENDED RANGE** |
| --- | --- |
| Pond Area | **Minimum 5%** of the development area to be reserved |
| Pond Depth | **1.5m to 3.0m** (Common range for safety and maintenance access) |
| Freeboard | Embankment level must be at least **300mm above the pond leve**l during emergency spillway operation. |
| Side Slopes | **1V:4H** for safety, sometimes 1V:3H if space is limited |

 

These rule of thumb are commonly based on:

1. Accumulated experience from past approved submissions.
2. Frequently seen in local design reports, usually in early-stage infra plans.
3. Sometimes reflected in Pihak Berkuasa Tempatan (PBT) submission checklists, although not always officially documented.

Even though MSMA does not give a specific percentage of pond area, it emphasizes that **post-development peak discharge (Q~post) should not exceed pre-development peak discharge (Q~pre)** as stated in **MSMA 2.0 - Chapter 1**. Therefore, designers are encouraged to use hydrological analyses to determine appropriate storage volumes and pond dimensions.

## **Practical Implementation: What Do Authorities Require?**

In the absence of a definitive guideline on pond sizing for Peninsular Malaysia, certain local authorities impose their own guideline. For example:

1. JPS Malaysia (DID) uggests a minimum of 3% of the project area to be reserved for detention/retention facilities.

![](https://i0.wp.com/mes100.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Screenshot-2025-05-29-160717-.png?resize=544%2C334&ssl=1)
[***Borang JPS Annex A (LUC / LSD - CHKLST)***](https://www.mbsp.gov.my/brgonline/OSC/pkm/jps-annex.pdf)*: Submission of Plans For Planning Permission*

1. DBKL (Kuala Lumpur City Hall) has released Garis Panduan Jalan dan Perparitan, GPJP (Pindaan 2023) .

Under this guideline, the required pond area for detention/ retention pond in developments within DBKL’s jurisdiction shall comply with the specified standards outlined below.

![](https://i0.wp.com/mes100.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Screenshot-2025-05-29-165540-.png?resize=991%2C656&ssl=1)
[*Garis Panduan Jalan dan Perparitan, GPJP (Pindaan 2023)*](https://www.dbkl.gov.my/e-borang?title=Garis%20Panduan%20Jalan%20dan%20Perparitan%20Pindaan%202023)

Thus, while SuSTOM gives a 3% to 5% range, local authorities may have **varying requirements** based on jurisdiction.

## **Handling Constraints in Project Design**

In projects where land is constrained, it may not be feasible to adhere strictly to these percentages. In such cases:

1. The design should be backed by **hydrological and hydraulic analysis**.
2. Engineers may **negotiate with local authorities** to justify alternative designs based on Qpost ≤ Qpre compliance.

The most critical requirement is to ensure **Qpost ≤ Qpre**, regardless of pond size percentage. Flexibility exists, but **solid engineering reasoning and proper documentation** are essential.

## **How MiTS Handles This**

In the absence of a definitive guideline on pond sizing for Peninsular Malaysia, MiTS adopts the convention as 3~5%. Users may change the pond area sizing to align with project-specific constraints or local authority requirements.

![](https://i0.wp.com/mes100.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Screenshot-2025-05-29-174216-.png?resize=937%2C626&ssl=1)
*Options > Project Settings > Det. Facility > Pond > Design*

## **Conclusion: Is 5% a Hard Limit?**

No, it is not. **5% is not a strict upper limit**. It’s a **guideline range** often used for estimation purposes in our MiTS software. The key requirement is ensuring that the detention facility can manage stormwater effectively and that Post-development flows must not exceed pre-development levels (**Qpost ≤ Qpre**).

Upon discussion with the local authorities, you may make the pond area can be less or more than 5%, depending on site and design conditions.

 

### *Related*

 [![](https://i0.wp.com/mes100.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/me-small.jpg?resize=100%2C100&ssl=1)](https://mes100.com/author/admin/)[Ngu Soon Hui](https://mes100.com/author/admin/)

I’m the [Benevolent Dictator for Life](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benevolent_dictator_for_life) for MiTS Software cum Editor of this website. Read more [here](/about-ngu-soon-hui/).

You can also contact me at soonhui@mes100.com