Yes you're right about retention ponds and mosquitoes. My county sprays with trucks that fog the neighborhood between midnight and 3 am. They also aerial spray the marshes. I'm not crazy about the pesticides - but we are West Nile positive most of the time - so this is the 'solution'.

My point is your choices are limited. I believe Terminex offers a mosquitoe spray package that is supposed to protect your property well enough for you to be able to sit on your porch without getting attacked. I don't know the cost or frequency.

There are some plants that supposedly repel mosquitoes - a mosquito plant and citronella - but I have never had much success with them.

You might check with your city to see who is responsible for retention areas and if there are any codes that have to do with insect control around those areas.