EN
One of the phenomena related to intensive urbanisation is the human settlement in the flood endangered area as well as increase of flood frequency and magnitude. This coincidence cause rise of the economical loses. As a counter measure usually it would be to build storage reservoirs or increase of storage capacity of the catchment. That problem has been illustrated by a case study on a south east part of Warsaw comprising catchment of a small stream (14 km long)- Potok Służewski. Rainfall water of the urban area is drained by that stream. Storage capacity of the catchment, mainly small ponds, located in the valley bottom, has been for a long time neglected. The intensive summer rainfall has caused flooding of the urban area at the Arbuzowa street. Looking for a solution to increase storage capacity it has been considered use of 12 ponds, located in the middle reach of the stream. These ponds form a natural feature of the landscape. It has been analysed a maximum capacity of the ponds as a possible retention element of the catchment. It has been shown, that existing capacity of the ponds is not sufficient for considerable reduction of the flood wave peak flows. It is recommended to look for additional storage in the catchment especially in the period of foreseen growth of urbanisation.