Dam Safety to Ensure the Public Safety…………………

Development and management of water resources is a high priority of the government in order to provide
adequate quantity of water to the emerging demand of various sectors of the country. In view of this, dams
play a major role of providing water for domestic, irrigation and industrial uses, flood control, hydro power
generation and recreation. At the same time, dams also represent a risk to public safety. Hence, dams
require ongoing maintenance, monitoring and safety inspections to ensure the safety & sustainability.

There are approximately 430 medium and large dams in Sri Lanka and over 12,000 small dams, most of
which were built more than 1,000 years ago. The new large reservoirs such as Kothmale, Victoria and
Randenigala were built by the Mahaweli Projects. They are also now 30 years old and prone to cracks and
leaks. This situation threatens safety and operational efficiency of the dams and its structures. If the dam
safety risks are not addressed before it is too late; the safety of
lives, property and the environment could face serious threat. Fig : 1 A helicopter rescuing a survivor of
the Kantale dam breach. Pic courtesy
Dam Disasters -
LIRNEasia
One such dam disaster happened 26 years ago, on 20 April 1986,
when the ancient Kantale dam, more than 50 feet high and
13,760 feet long, breached and rapidly flooded several villages
downstream, killing 127 people and destroying over 1,600
houses and paddy lands and property in the region costing Rs.
575 million.
At the end of 2010 /2011 beginning - Localized high intensity
rainfall received during short period of January 2011. It was
much higher than the 30 year average for the same period. A
total of 99 major and medium schemes have been affected while around 800 minor tanks, anicuts and
cannals have been fully or partly damaged killing 43 people and destroying over 5,432 houses and paddy
lands and property in the region costing Rs. 50 bn. While creating these destructions, nature has given a
strong message to the public drawing the attention on safety of dams and structures.
Due to heavy rain during latter part of 2012, majority of reservoirs of the country began to spill or at spill
level except Randenigala reservoir and Senanayake Samudraya. Most of the gates of spillway structures had
to be opened largely to release excess water to maintain water level of the reservoirs at safety operation
level , affecting 450,000 people, killing 43 and destroying 15,000 houses, paddy land and property costing
Rs. 28 bn. Kiulekada tank in Anuradhapura district was the only medium tank which was fully damaged while
causing partial damage to the 873 minor tanks, anicuts and irrigation canal network in the country. It was
noted that the damage in 2012 was considerably low, when compare with the situation in 2011, mainly due
to the distribution pattern of the rain and
Fig 2: Risk reduction strategy of Dam Safety
the measures taken by the government for
safety of dams and increasing water (A) (B) (C)
retention capacity of reservoirs such as de- Structural , Monitoring Emergency
silting and raising spill levels during the Hydralic & through Action if
Operational Instruments & Faliure Occurs
drought period.
Safety Maintenance
In many areas of the country, water and
irrigation related extreme events due to Improvement Improvement: Improvement
climate change have already become Loading Berm. Piezometers. Emergency
more frequent and more severe with Proper Rip-rap V- Notch Action
Spill Plans
anticipated further increase of frequency
Improvement
and severity. However, there is no single
body overseeing the maintenance and
safety of Sri Lanka’s dams.
Risk = Probability of occurrence of a Failure x Damage
Dam Safety and Water Resources
Planning (DSWRP) Project - (Elakanda, DSWRP, 2012)

Realizing the danger of the above situation, DSWRP project commenced in 2008 is in progress at present to
protect the 32 high risk large dams of the selected 80 dams which are in danger through adaptation
procedures (Fig.2.) to improve structural, hydraulic safety as well as operational efficiency of dams with
sustainable arrangements. Total cost of this project is Rs.7.7bn.
Reduction of risks of Dam failures –As illustrated in the matrix, risks to the public and properties due to dam
failures are minimized with the reduction of occurrence of dam failures through mitigation measures and
taking emergency actions to minimize risks if dam failures occur. The probability of occurrence of dam
failures is being reduced by the ongoing DSWRP Project through various measures of rehabilitation of dams
and structures such as rip-rap, spill and sluice, establishing and upgrading of 122 hydro meteorological
stations, providing basic safety facilities such as generators, backhoe loaders, boats, bush cutters and
installation of water measuring instruments like V-notches and piezo-meters.
In order to minimize damages to the people and properties & dams due to critical situations, emergency
action plans are being prepared for each and every dam to provide instrumentation for dam safety
surveillance and to cope with the failures if occur. Operation and maintenance (O&M) manuals prepare for
the dams where the works have been completed, to ensure the sustainability of the project works and
ensure its safe operation.
In addition, to enhance the long term capacity for sustainable planning and management of water resources,
preparation of a new integrated National Water Use Plan, Update Mahaweli Ganga Master plan and
preparation of Mundeni Aru Basin plan are in progress.
For the sustainability of the dams and to ensure the proper O&M, preparation of an institutional
arrangement for dam safety is in progress. Following are the direct and indirect benefits.
Direct benefits:
 Secure about 700,000 people living under the 80 dams and their properties by increasing the safety
of dams and structures
Indirect benefits:
 Out of the 32 high risk dams, water retention capacity of 11 reservoirs will be increased by 44,606 Ac
ft. (55MCM) benefitting 4,400 farmers with additional extent of 8,921 Acs. for cultivation. Expected
additional income is Rs. 1.4 bn. (Table:1)
 With the increased capacity of water, there is a possibility of cultivating Field Crops during the 3rd
season.
 At present, dams come under the supervision of the Sri Lanka Electricity Board such as Laxapana,
Castalreige, Norton, Canyon produce 335 MW hydro power. Fixing new radial gates, piso meters and
mechanical equipments through this project, will enhance the efficiency of producing electricity
generating capacity by 8-10 percent GWH.

 Provide innovative & efficient Hydro Meteorological Information System, prepare National Water
Resources and Management Plan and establish Ground Water Monitoring Network in the country.

 Enhance the institutional capacity of stakeholders to manage the water related structures including
dams in a sustainable manner.
Table 1-Production Contribution of selected Reservoirs after Rehabilitation
Water Additional Additional
Capacity Increse of
Implementing Cost level cultivated paddy
Dams increase income
agency (Rs.Mn.) incresed extent production
(Acft) (Rs.Mn/Yr)
(Ft) (Acs) (Kg/Yr)
Thabbowa Dept. Irrigation 218 0.95 1,401 280 1,345,248 40
Inginimitiya do 87 1.2 5,508 1,102 5,287,620 169
Parakrama Samudraya do 188 1 6,261 1,252 6,010,992 192
Kaudulla do 158 1.2 8,035 1,607 7,713,792 247
Giritale do 130 1.2 915 183 878,688 28
Usgala
Siyabalangamuwa do 147 2.3 4,316 863 4,143,360 132
Nalanda do 300 4.5 3,240 648 3,110,400 99
Ridiyagama do 218 1.6 3,500 700 3,360,000 108
Nachchaduwa do 136 1.3 5,510 1,102 5,289,600 169
Vendarasan do 137 4.3 4,820 964 4,627,200 148
Mahaweli
Chandrika wewa Authority 227 1,100 220 1,056,000 34
Total 1,946 19.55 44,606 8,921 42,822,900 1,366
Source : DSWRP, Ministry of I&WRM

Dam safety policy and measures to control the safety of all the dams are in line with the government policy
priorities. Hence, in addition to the government contribution, much emphasis should be given to setting up
of financial arrangements such as fund raising mechanisms for operation & maintenance work of dams to
ensure their sustainability.