The Gal Oya Dam (also known as Inginiyagala Dam) is an
embankment dam
An embankment dam is a large artificial dam. It is typically created by the placement and compaction of a complex semi-plastic mound of various compositions of soil or rock. It has a semi-pervious waterproof natural covering for its surface and ...
in the
Uva Province
Uva Province ( si, ඌව පළාත, Uva Paḷāta, ta, ஊவா மாகாணம், Uvā Mākāṇam) is Sri Lanka's second least populated Provinces of Sri Lanka, province, with 1,259,880 people, created in 1896. It consists of two dis ...
of
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka (, ; si, ශ්රී ලංකා, Śrī Laṅkā, translit-std=ISO (); ta, இலங்கை, Ilaṅkai, translit-std=ISO ()), formerly known as Ceylon and officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, is an ...
. The dam creates one of the largest reservoirs in the country, the Gal Oya Reservoir. Water from the reservoir is used primarily for irrigation in the Uva and
Eastern
Eastern may refer to:
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provinces, in addition to powering a small hydroelectric power station. Construction of the dam and reservoir began in , completing four years later in .
Dam and reservoir
The dam is constructed between two hills at the small town of Inginiyagala, measuring and in length and height respectively, consisting of of soil. The dam, built by
Morrison-Knudsen company, creates the Gal Oya Reservoir.
The reservoir, also known as the Inginiyagala Reservoir, and more commonly as the
Senanayake Samudraya
Senanayake Samudraya ( Sinhala: සේනානායක සමූද්රය, Tamil: சேனானாயக்க சமூத்ரய) is the biggest reservoir and man-made lake in Sri Lanka. It is locally known as the sea ( Sinhala: ...
(after
D.S. Senanayake), has a total storage of and a surface area of .
Power station
In addition to downstream
irrigation
Irrigation (also referred to as watering) is the practice of applying controlled amounts of water to land to help grow Crop, crops, Landscape plant, landscape plants, and Lawn, lawns. Irrigation has been a key aspect of agriculture for over 5,00 ...
, water from the reservoir is used to power the , a
hydroelectric
Hydroelectricity, or hydroelectric power, is electricity generated from hydropower (water power). Hydropower supplies one sixth of the world's electricity, almost 4500 TWh in 2020, which is more than all other renewable sources combined and ...
power station located immediately downstream of the dam. The power station consists of four units of (2.475MWx2 & 3.15MWx2), commissioned in 1952 unit 1,2 & 1962 unit 3,4.
See also
*
Electricity in Sri Lanka
The electricity sector in Sri Lanka has a national grid which is primarily powered by hydroelectric power and thermal power, with sources such as photovoltaics and wind power in early stages of deployment. Although potential sites are being id ...
*
Gal Oya National Park
Gal Oya National Park in Sri Lanka was established in 1954 and serves as the main catchment area for Senanayake Samudraya, the largest reservoir in Sri Lanka. Senanayake Samudraya was built under the Gal Oya development project by damming the Ga ...
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List of dams and reservoirs in Sri Lanka
The following page lists most dams in Sri Lanka. Most of these dams are governed by the Mahaweli Authority, while the Ceylon Electricity Board operates dams used for hydroelectric power generation. Hydroelectric dams, including small hydros acco ...
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List of power stations in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka's electricity demand is currently met by nine thermal power stations, fifteen large hydroelectric power stations, and fifteen wind farms, with a smaller share from small hydro facilities and other renewables such as solar. Most hydroe ...
References
External links
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{{Inland waters of Sri Lanka
Embankment dams
Dams in Sri Lanka
Hydroelectric power stations in Sri Lanka
Dams completed in 1953
Buildings and structures in Uva Province