EFFECTIVE STORAGE CAPACITY IN MAJOR RESERVOIRS 35.9%

Major reservoirs hold 35.9% of effective storage capacity

– The total effective water storage of the country’s major reservoirs stood at 35.9% as of August 21, according to the latest data from the Irrigation Department’s Water Management Branch.The data shows that the 74 major reservoirs monitored across the country held 1,067,914 acre-feet of effective storage out of a total effective capacity of 1,210,531 acre-feet. The total gross capacity of the reservoirs was recorded at 3,114,407 acre-feet.Among the districts covered by the report, Kurunegala recorded the highest effective storage level at 74.9%, followed by Puttalam at 66.2%, Kandy at 62.3%, Monaragala at 58.4% and Galle at 56.6%.

At individual reservoirs, Deduru Oya in Kurunegala was at 94.6% effective storage, while Vakaneri in Batticaloa stood at 96.2%. Ambewela in Badulla was recorded at 100% and was reported as spilling.Other reservoirs with relatively high storage levels included Rajangana in Anuradhapura at 85.5%, Kande Ela in Badulla at 85.4%, Tissa Wewa in Hambantota at 88.0%, and Wan Ela in Trincomalee at 96.9%.Meanwhile, several reservoirs recorded significantly low storage levels.Manankattiya in Anuradhapura had only 1.5% effective storage, while Muruthawela in Hambantota stood at 1.6%, Ethimale in Monaragala at 5.4%, Rottikulama in Ampara at 8.1%, and Mora Wewa in Trincomalee at 9.5%.The report also recorded rainfall at several reservoirs during the preceding day, including 6 mm at Ellewela, 5 mm at Kekanadura and 3 mm at Ambewela.