cisterns
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The principal idea of cisterns or storage tanks is the collection of rainwater for storage and use as drinking water for domestic needs, animal watering or irrigation. A cistern is a man-made hole in the soil with a gypsum or cement coating to avoid vertical and lateral infiltration losses. Generally these underground reservoirs with capacities from 1 m3 to 70000 m3 occupy the outlet of a small catchment area (impluvium) that collects the rainwater. In a natural environment the impluvium is demarcated by one or more grooves or small stone bunds conveying the runoff water towards the opening of the storage tank.
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