Kotmale dam to be elevated by 30 metres

The Government has planned to elevate the Kotmale Reservoir Dam by 30 metres, thereby increasing the existing water capacity of the reservoir. 

This modification in the structure is intended to irrigate more arable lands in the Anuradhapura and Puttalam Districts of the Mahaweli H-Zone, thereby increasing paddy cultivation and other agricultural crops, State Minister of Mahaweli Zone Canals and Settlement Infrastructure Development Siripala Gamlath said during an inspection tour to the Kotmale reservoir complex this week.  

In addition to the existing supply of water to the Anuradhapura and the Puttalam Districts, this project is meant to provide extra water supply to the two districts.

“Under this new project to raise the height of the reservoir dam by 30 metres, the water capacity of the Kotmale reservoir will increase from its current capacity of 174 million cubic metres to 391 million cubic metres,” Engineer in charge of the Kotmale reservoir, R.M.S. Wathsala said.

The length of the current reservoir dam is 600 metres and its height is 87 metres.

Further, the Kotmale Hydropower turbines currently generate 210MW and it could be increased to 240MW when the height of the dam is elevated by 30 metres, Engineer Wathsala said. 

Accordingly, more water will be issued via the penstock at Polgolla reservoir to Bowatenna irrigation reservoir, thereby intensifying the capacity of the irrigation tanks of Kalawewa, Rajanganawewa, Dambulu Oya and Kandalama. 

With the increase of water capacity of these tanks under this project, new arable lands could be utilised for agriculture and the water sources of the new project could be used for drinking purposes in these areas as well. 

The Kotmale reservoir project was set up under the Accelerated Mahaweli Development Scheme in 1979. A dam was built across the Kotmale Oya at Kadadora and a reservoir constructed at a cost of Rs. 9,000 million; its operation commenced in 1985. 

Secretary of the State Ministry of Mahaweli Zone Canals and Settlement Infrastructure Development, Engineer W.B. Palugaswewa, Director General of the Sri Lanka Mahaweli Authority, Engineer, Sunil S. Perera and Residential Enterprise Manager of the Mahaweli E Zone, Gamini Gunawardana were also present during the inspection tour.