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 accounts for nearly half of the installed power capacity of Sri Lanka.
Sri Lanka is pockmarked with many irrigation dams with its water resource distributed across nearly the entirety of the island for agricultural purposes via artificial canals and streams. Utilization of hydro resources for agricultural production dates back pre-Colonial era, with current crop productions now largely dependent on these water resources.

Dams in Sri Lanka

Irrigation dams with a length and height of more than and are listed, including all the state-run hydroelectric power stations. Privately owned "small-hydro" facilities, are not included in this list. Nearly all hydroelectric dams are also used for providing water resource for irrigation purposes, hence for the sake of identifying the hydroelectric dams, any dam with hydroelectric involvement is stated as such in the below table, even if the primary purpose of building the dam is to retain water for irrigation.
DamLocationPurposeLength
Height
Type
BowatennaHydroelectricity2263040Gravity
BroadlandsHydroelectricity1142435Gravity
CanyonHydroelectricity 100Arch-gravity
CastlereighHydroelectricity 50Gravity
Deduru OyaHydroelectricity2,400201.5Embankment
DyraabaHydroelectricity16550120Gravity
Gal OyaHydroelectricity1,1004312Embankment
InginimitiyaIrrigation4,88018N/AEmbankment
Kalu GangaIrrigation54667N/AGravity
KandalamaIrrigation1,60021N/AEmbankment
KantaleIrrigation4,20015N/AEmbankment
KotmaleHydroelectricity60087201Gravity
Kukule GangaHydroelectricity1102080Gravity
LaxapanaHydroelectricity 75Gravity
Lower Malvathu Oya Irrigation
LunugamweheraIrrigation N/AEmbankment
Maduru OyaIrrigation1,09041N/AEmbankment
MaskeliyaHydroelectricity 60Gravity
MoragahakandaHydroelectricity 6525Gravity
Moragolla Hydroelectricity 3530Gravity
NortonHydroelectricity 50Gravity
NilambeHydroelectricity70 3.2Gravity
PolgollaHydroelectricity14414.640Gravity
PuhulpolaIrrigation17545NAGravity
RajanganayaIrrigation N/AEmbankment
RandenigalaHydroelectricity48594126Embankment
Rambakan OyaIrrigation122524.7N/AEmbankment
RantembeHydroelectricity4204252Gravity
RatkindaIrrigation4,96025N/AEmbankment
SamanalaHydroelectricity530110124Embankment
UdawalaweHydroelectricity3,900 6Embankment
UlhitiyaIrrigation N/AEmbankment
Upper KotmaleHydroelectricity18035150Gravity
VictoriaHydroelectricity520122210Arch