ABSTRACT
There are over 300 dams in Sri Lanka, and among these 34 dams are higher than 10 m. One dam, at Polonnaruwa, in the northeast of Sri Lanka, is over 2,000 years old and is still operational to date.
The Dam Safety and Reservoir Conservation Project (DS&RCP) of Mahaweli Reconstruction & Rehabilitation Project (MRRP) funded by the International Development Agency and implemented over a period of 2000–2004 had an objective to implement a qualitative management system for 32 major dams in Sri Lanka to improve their safety.
Dam safety rehabilitation measures recommended to be implemented under the DS&RCP on 32 dams comprised rehabilitation works, including structural measures and implementation of monitoring systems, EWS and EPPs. It was estimated that these measures would reduce probability of failure of several dams and provide a significant reduction in potential loss of lives.
A draft dam safety legislation was also prepared under DS&RCP. After many internal discussions, the Client decided that Sri Lanka was not ready for the dam safety legislation and that the proposed provisions should be contained in a Code of Practice. This is still in place. It would be recommendable for Sri Lanka to consider the adoption of dam safety legislation.
