ABSTRACT
ABSTRACT: This paper discusses the measures taken towards maintenance and conservation of dams and reservoirs including the watershed, with respect to those constructed during the last two decades. In this paper dams in Sri Lanka have been categorised as ancient, recent and modern dams. Maintenance plays a vital role for smooth operation and safety of the dam itself and its downstream areas. A comprehensive maintenance programme covering various aspects of dams and peripheral works has been planned and implemented for this purpose. In order to study the behaviour of large reservoirs and identify mitigatory measures for environmental degradation a comprehensive programme has been implemented. This limnological program covers physical, chemical, biological parameters of reservoirs. Sedimentation of reservoirs and sediment transport studies has been carried out to identify the operational problems and loss of capacities of the reservoirs and to identify the critical sub catchments.
