Sufficient water levels in reservoirs, no power cuts expected

Colombo, March 21 (Daily Mirror) - Despite the prolonged drought, water levels in hydro and irrigation reservoirs in the country are still sufficient, ensuring no need for power cuts in the near future, the authorities said yesterday.

The Ministry of Power and Energy assures no need for power cuts until end of April as hydropower plants have sufficient water reserves.

Thanks to heavy rains received two months prior, all hydro and irrigation reservoirs have attained ample water capacity, with some even reaching their spill levels, Irrigation Department Director Eng. S.P.C. Sugeeshwara said.

He told the Daily Mirror that there has been a notable lack of rainfall from mid-January until now. He mentioned that as a result, the present water capacities of hydro and irrigation reservoirs are at a significant level.

Effective water management by the respective irrigation offices, the main reservoirs under the jurisdiction of the Irrigation Department, on the whole, are operating at 90 percent of their water capacity.

Meanwhile, main reservoirs managed by the Mahaweli Authority retain over 75 percent of their water capacity.

However, certain reservoirs like Castlereagh and Polpitiya are experiencing critical conditions, he said. Specifically, the Castlereagh Reservoir, crucial for hydropower generation, is maintaining its water levels at the minimum capacity.

Despite no concerns regarding irrigation water supply for the upcoming Yala season, smaller reservoirs may face insufficient water levels due to the ongoing dry weather.

Sugeeshwara said that a significant decrease in the water levels of main rivers across the country. Apart from Kirindi Oya and Maha Oya, current river water capacities are similar to the lowest recorded levels in March, posing challenges for drinking water projects and direct river users.

Given the prevailing dry conditions, up to 6 millimetres of water vaporize daily from reservoirs, an unavoidable occurrence.