Operational policy of the reservoirs in Malwathu oya river basin to minimize flood damages in Anuradhapura, Vavuniya and Mannar districts in northern Sri Lanka.

Abstract

The need for water is universal. It is present everywhere, and without water, life, as we know it, will simply cease to exist. Water is constantly in motion, passing from one state to another, and from one location to another, which makes its rational planning and management a very complex and difficult task under the best of circumstances. Water may be everywhere , but its use has always been constrained in terms of availability, quantity and quality. When the quantity of flood water released from the reservoirs in the upper catchment of Malwathu Oya river basin reaches a certain level, social, economic and environmental damages occurs to the people living in the downstream of the reservoir area. Further unplanned human activities in the Malwathu Oya river bank area crate a threat on the natural bio diversity of the river. It is essential to create a master plan to in cooperate construction of buildings for various purposes, crop production, livestock and tourism. To address these effects a study is being carried out. It gives a scientific emphasize on the necessity of modified / improved reservoirs operation.