Deduru Oya Dam

The Deduru Oya Dam is an embankment dam built across the Deduru River in Kurunegala District of Sri Lanka. Built in 2014, the primary purpose of the dam is to retain approximately a billion cubic metres of water for irrigation purposes, which would otherwise flow out to sea. Site studies of the dam began in 2006 and construction started in 2008. It was ceremonially completed in 2014, with the presence of the then President Mahinda Rajapaksa.[1]

The mouth of Deduru Oya, approximately 80km downstream of the dam.
Deduru Oya Dam
Location of Deduru Oya Dam in Sri Lanka
CountrySri Lanka
LocationWariyapola
Coordinates07°43′06″N 80°16′28″E
PurposeIrrigation
StatusOperational
Construction began2008
Opening date2014
Construction costRs. 9.5 billion
Dam and spillways
Type of damEmbankment
ImpoundsDeduru Oya
Height20 m (66 ft)
Length2,400 m (7,900 ft)
Spillways8
Reservoir
CreatesDeduru Oya Reservoir
Total capacity75,000,000 m3 (2.6×109 cu ft)
Deduru Oya Power Station
Operator(s)MOPE
Commission date2014
TypeConventional
Installed capacity1.5 MW

Site studies and design of the dam was done by engineers from the Ministry of Irrigation. The dam, which measures approximately 2,400 m (7,900 ft) wide, creates the Deduru Oya Reservoir, which has a capacity of 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, while also powering a 1.5 megawatt hydroelectric power station, operated by the Ministry of Power and Energy.[2]

In addition to the eight sluice gates, water from the reservoir is channelled from the reservoir (for irrigation) via three canals, namely the Left Canal, Central Canal, and the South Canal. The South Canal is a trans-basin concrete canal measuring 33 km (21 mi), channelling water from the Deduru Oya Reservoir to the Inginimitiya Reservoir at a flow rate of 300 cu ft/s (8.5 m3/s).[3]

See also

References
  1. "Deduru Oya Reservoir the Large Irrigation Solution for North Western Province". Ministry of Irrigation. Retrieved 4 November 2015.
  2. P. Krishnaswamy (12 January 2014). "Deduru Oya Reservoir Project commissioning, a landmark event". Sunday Observer. Archived from the original on 17 November 2015. Retrieved 4 November 2015.
  3. Rubasinghe, Ariya (1 March 2012). "A massive multi-functional project for Deduru Oya". Daily News. Retrieved 4 November 2015.


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