[Prophet in the wilderness]

Not unless the generator is located on the other side of a small dam were there is some running water.
The only problem I see in this, is when the water dries up.

[Bigh4u2]

The poster had stated could they 'build' a pond.

You don't need running water to 'build' a pond because if you hit the 'water table' the pond would eventually fill up, although not completely.

Now if the pond were built at the end of a running stream, then yes, a water paddle with a generator would work.

"The only problem I see in this, is when the water dries up."

Yep. Unless you build it on a mountain stream that is feed from either a glacier or permanent (semi?) snow cap.