Yodha Ela
Construction
Yodha Ela was constructed during King Dhatusena's reign in 459 AD. It is 87 km (54 mi) long. It is a trans-basin diversion canal transferring water from Kala Oya Basin to Malwathu Oya Basin. It has a gradient of the order of 0.32 m (1.0 ft) drop along 1.61 km (1.00 mi). Even with modern day survey equipment it would be difficult to achieve such accuracy.
Yodha Ela not only feeds Tissa Wewa, but also the nearby Abhaya Wewa and Nuwara Wewa. A separate branch of the canal has then already brought water to the Nachchaduwa wewa.
King Parakramabahu who reigned the country from 1153 to 1186, expanded the area that contributed to the water in the canal by connecting more reservoirs to the network between Kala Wawa and Thissa Wawa. He then renamed it Jaya Ganga (River of Victory).
Functions
Yodha Ela functions in a way of a moving reservoir because of its single banking aspect which is different from the present day double banking irrigation canals'. It feeds water in an area of 470 km (180 sq mi) feeding 4,630 ha (11,400 acres) of paddy lands and 120 small tanks on its way from Kala Wewa to Tissa Wewa
See also
- Abhayavapi
- Dhatusena of Anuradhapura
- Kala Wewa
- Nachchaduwa wewa
- Parakramabahu I
- Tissa Wewa (Anuradhapura)
- Tank cascade system
References
- ^ "Sri Lanka Tourism - The Official Website of Sri Lanka Tourism". www.srilanka.travel.
- ^ "Kala Wewa and the Aukana Buddha Statue". 28 September 2018.
- ^ Pallewatta, T. M. (2009). "From the Editor Vol.42(3)". Engineer: Journal of the Institution of Engineers, Sri Lanka. 42 (3). doi:10.4038/engineer.v42i3.7045.
- ^ "Ancient Irrigation".
- ^ "Yodha Ela | PDF | Water Resources | Dam". Scribd.
- ^ Kala Wewa and Yodha Ela (Jaya Ganga) - An irrigation wonder of Ancient Sinhalese, AmazingLanka.com, retrieved 28 January 2022
- ^ Obeyesekere, Donald (1999). Outlines of Ceylon History. ISBN 9788120613638.