How to minimize the negative impacts on Bundala National Park due to irrigation development of the Kirindi Oya River Basin

The environment is an important water user, and one that often finds itself at the bottom of the list of priorities when supplies become scare. This research studied how the needs of wetlands can coexist in parallel with irrigation demands and other human activities. Sri Lanka is a signatory to the Convention on Wetlands of International Importance for Migratory Waterfowl, known as the Ramsar Convention and Bundala Lagoon was declared Sri Lanka’s first Ramsar site, a wetland of international importance for migratory waterfowl, in 1990, because of its high bird species richness. The delicate ecological balance of these lagoons will be severely affected by the on-going Weheragala Reservoir project, which is designed to divert excess water from Manike Ganga River basin to Kirindi Oya River basin and the Malala Oya River basin development project. The main negative impacts are eutrophication, accumulation of pesticides and insecticides in the lagoons and siltation, and that lagoons will be converted to fresh water bodies. This research studied how to minimize these negative impacts using social, economic and engineering tools. The research findings are useful for researches, policymakers and decision-makers, who must find opportunities to improve farmers’ incomes and national food production, while and at the same time ensuring sustainable management of wetland ecosystems in Sri Lanka.Length: pp.1-6