Deduru Oya Dam

Deduru Oya Dam

Did you know that the Deduru Oya is the sixth-longest river in Sri Lanka? With the building of a dam throughout this massive water body, it offers water for irrigation and agriculture to over 27,000 acres of land within the Kurunegala and Puttalam districts. The towers of the sluice gates stand tall much like guarding soldiers.

Site studies and design of the dam were accomplished by engineers from the Ministry of Irrigation.

Area of the location

Deduru Oya Dam is built in the Kurunegala District of Sri LankaThe dam, which measures about 2,400 m (7,900 ft) wide, creates the Deduru Oya Reservoir, which is about 75,000,000 m³ (2.6×109 cu ft). Water from the reservoir is used to irrigate approximately 11,000 hectares (27,000 acres) of farmland, even as also powering a 1.5-megawatt hydroelectric electricity station, operated through the Ministry of Power and Energy

History

According to history, it’s believed that during the reign of King Parakramabahu I (1153-1186 AD), an irrigation system evolved focusing the Deduru Oya.

Remnants of an excellent historical past remain with the archaeological findings of the Katuwannawa Asanagharaya, which is a quick distance from the reservoir and is thought to been built in the distant past.

Annual rainfall

• The annual precipitation in the basin varies from 1100 mm in the coastal place to 2600 mm in mountainous place.
• Deduru Oya basin receives approximately 50% of the yearly rainfall at some stage in inter-monsoon months (March, April, October, and November), about 35% in the course of South-West monsoon months (May to September), at the same time as up to 15% at some stage in North-West monsoon months (December to February).

Related rivers

• The main tributaries of the Deduru Oya namely Ratwila Ela, Dik Oya, and Kospothu Oya is at the starting point of the basin.
• Kimbulwana Oya, Hakwatuna Oya, and Maguru Oya are in the middle reaches of the basin.
• At the same time as the opposite tributaries particularly Kolamunu Oya, Thalagalla Ella meet the river downstream of the proposed dam site.

Other purposes

In addition to the 8 sluice gates, water from the reservoir is channeled from the reservoir (for irrigation) via three canals. They are named as the left canal, central canal, and the south canal. The south canal measures up to 33 km (21 mi). It is pumping water from the Deduru Oya Reservoir to the Inginimitiya Reservoir at a flow rate of three hundred cu ft/s.

How to reach your destination

From Colombo

You have to take the Colombo – Katunayake Expressway, Veyangoda Road, and Kurunegala – Minuwangoda Road to Sri Anandarama Mawatha Road in North Western Province. Then continue on Sri Anandarama Mawatha Road to reach your destination.

From Kurunegala

You have to head northwest on Bauddhaloka Road toward Ambepussa – Kurunegala – Trincomalee Highway.

Turn left at The Oil Stores onto Katugastota-Kurunegala-Puttalam Highway. At the roundabout, take the 2nd exit onto Anuradhapura-Padeniya Highway. Turn right at Galwewa Communication onto Sri Anandarama Mawatha Road.

Turn left to stay on Sri Anandarama Mawatha Road. Then turn right and turn left the destination will be on your left.