Water, body of is a term used to describe any large body of water, including oceans, seas, lakes, lagoons, ponds, and dams. An OCEAN is the largest body of water on Earth, covering nearly three-quarters of the planet's surface. A LAGOON is a shallow body of water separated from a larger body of water by a barrier such as a coral reef or sandbar. Lakes are bodies of water surrounded by land and are usually freshwater. Seas are large bodies of saltwater that are partially enclosed by land. Ponds are small bodies of water, often created by humans, and are usually freshwater. Dams are man-made structures built across rivers to control the flow of water.