December 07, Colombo (LNW): The Irrigation Department has confirmed that around 30 major reservoirs and nearly 40 medium-sized tanks are currently overflowing following days of persistent, intense rainfall.
Director of Irrigation (Water Management), H.M.P.S.D. Herath, said the situation is being closely monitored, though engineers do not anticipate significant flooding in low-lying areas at present.
Among the reservoirs spilling excess water are Senanayake Samudra in Ampara, Mahawilachchiya, Mahakanadarawa and Rajanganaya in the Anuradhapura region, Deduru Oya in Kurunegala, Lunugamvehera in Hambantota and the Sorabora reservoir in Badulla.
According to Herath, the Rajanganaya Reservoir is currently discharging about 6,476 cubic feet of water per second into the Kala Oya, while the Angamuwa Reservoir is releasing approximately 1,164 cubic feet per second.
Despite the opening of spill gates, officials insist that the controlled releases remain relatively modest and pose no immediate risk to surrounding communities. Even so, the recent deluge has caused notable damage to several irrigation structures, prompting rapid emergency repairs.
Work on the damaged South Canal of the Rajanganaya Reservoir is already under way and is expected to conclude by the end of today (07), allowing irrigation to resume for farmland dependent on its supply. At the same time, renovation of the Elahera Yodha Canal is progressing with the help of military personnel and local farming groups.
Herath noted that the completion timeline will hinge on the weather in the coming days and the volume of water being released from the Moragahakanda Reservoir.
Temporary reinforcement of other compromised structures is continuing under departmental oversight, with teams deployed across several districts to ensure the network remains stable.
In a separate update, L.S. Sooriyabandara, Director of Irrigation (Hydrology & Disaster Management), reported that Baddegama and Ratnapura recorded the highest rainfall in the past 24 hours, receiving between 30 and 35 millimetres.
He added that although water levels in the Malwathu Oya near Thanthirimale rose above normal earlier, they have since begun to subside. No flooding is expected, as water is being released purely as a precaution to manage reservoir levels.
Major tanks such as Deduru Oya, Rajanganaya and Nachchaduwa, along with several medium-sized reservoirs in Anuradhapura, continue controlled water releases to ease inflows as authorities maintain heightened vigilance over the island’s water systems.
