Author(s): Dar Doalge; K Weligepolage
Linked Author(s):
Keywords: Mundeni Aru river; Water resources; River basin planning
Abstract: Mundeni Aru basin spreads over parts of the Ampara and Batticalo a districts of the Eastern Province of Sri Lanka. Mundeni Aru river basin is a resourceful but relatively underdeveloped area which can be developed if the water can be stored in an effective way. This has three tributaries but already only one (Rambakan Oya) is having a reservour built across but this study proposes to have two other multi-purpose reservoirs built damming the other two tributaries; Maha Oya and Galode Aru. At full capacity Gal Ode and Maha Oya reservoirs can store 75 MCM and 80 MCM volume of water respectively to provide irrigation facilities to 8350 acres of new and existing lands. The existing two reservoirs, Rugam and Kitulwewa, in the downstream will be combined to have a storage of 56 MCM and serves a total irrigable area of 15,000 acres by introducing 7000 acres of new lands and increasing cropping intensities of existing 8000 acres of paddy lands from 0.7 and 0.5 for Maha and Yala seasons respectively closerto 1.0 in both seasons. It is expected to harness the hydropower f, rom the two new reservoirs by installing 0.125 MW (02 Nos) and 0.250 MW (02 Nos) capacity turbines. The proposed reservoirs will provide safe drinking water for the people living in Ampara and Batticaloa districtswhilemitigating the flood problem in Batticaloa districtconsiderably.
Year: 2016