Artificial Water Bodies in Post-Industrial and Urban Landscapes—A Case Study on Assessing Their Potential in Blue–Green Urban Infrastructure

Anthropogenic ponds have the potential to shape the post-industrial landscape and mitigate the effects of climate change, particularly in urban heat island-threatened areas. However, decisions regarding their inclusion in blue–green infrastructure networks require balancing costs and benefits while considering potential pollution risks. The objectives of this study are: (i) to develop an efficient decision-making framework based on standard aquatic science tools; (ii) to apply this framework to a specific artificial pond in the Upper Silesian Industrial Region, Poland, in order to optimize actions based on resources, advantages, limitations, and informativeness of the data. Eighteen methods, grouped into five categories, including historical document analyses, hydroacoustic and modeling methods, multiparametric water quality measurements, and ecotoxicological tests, were used. Optimization-focused analysis indicated that investigating historical documents should precede further testing, as it enables decision-makers to select the most effective methods to assess the pond’s value for blue–green infrastructure. In this case, the tests based on metal pollution, bathymetry, and biodiversity appeared sufficient. The presented approach offers a straightforward screening method for assessing reservoirs in post-industrial areas.