This data release presents data that were collected as part of a larger effort to assess factors that regulate ecosystem metabolism in small ponds. This work was part of an international collaborative effort with the Global Lake Ecological Observatory Network (GLEON). From May to October 2019, dissolved oxygen, temperature, and light were measured throughout the water-depth profile of two natural wetlands and four artificial ponds located near Jamestown, North Dakota. Meteorological and bathymetric data also were collected. The natural wetlands are representative of semipermanent wetlands of the Prairie Pothole Region of North America. The artificial ponds, while smaller than the natural ponds, were managed to represent small inland wetlands of the Prairie Pothole Region. The Artificial ponds are managed by the U.S. Geological Survey Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center. Data from this collaborative study will be used to understand how small inland ponds differ from large lakes and coastal systems, specifically with regard to nutrient recycling, primary production, greenhouse gas emissions, and oxygen dynamics.