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| Kaudulla Tank | |
|---|---|
| Name | Kaudulla Tank |
| Location | Polonnaruwa District, North Central Province, Sri Lanka |
| Type | Reservoir |
| Inflow | Hurulu Oya |
| Outflow | Minneriya Oya |
| Catchment | North Central Province |
| Basin countries | Sri Lanka |
| Area | ~8.66 km² |
| Created | 12th century (restorations in 20th century) |
| Islands | several seasonal islets |
Kaudulla Tank Kaudulla Tank is a historical reservoir in the Polonnaruwa District of the North Central Province of Sri Lanka. The reservoir forms part of an ancient irrigation network associated with medieval Sri Lankan polities and modern conservation initiatives by agencies in Colombo and Anuradhapura. It supports seasonal inundation patterns, irrigated agriculture near Polonnaruwa, and attracts wildlife from Hurulu Forest and Minneriya National Park.
Kaudulla Tank was developed during the medieval period by rulers of the Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa kingdoms, with links to engineering traditions seen in constructions attributed to King Parakramabahu I, King Nissanka Malla, and earlier monarchs from the House of Vijayabahu. The reservoir is contemporaneous with irrigation works such as the Minneriya Tank, Rajangana, and the Kala Wewa complex, reflecting policies implemented under ministries linked to hydraulic administration in medieval royal courts. Colonial-era surveys by British administrators, cartographers from Kandy and Colombo, and engineers associated with the Public Works Department documented restorations and modifications during the 19th and 20th centuries. Twentieth-century hydrological projects overseen by agencies in Colombo and Anuradhapura integrated Kaudulla into modern schemes alongside projects such as the North Central Province Development Plan and the Mahaweli Development Scheme.
The reservoir lies within the North Central dry zone near archaeological sites in Polonnaruwa and borders habitats connected to Hurulu Forest Reserve and Minneriya National Park. Its catchment receives seasonal monsoon input influenced by the Southwest Monsoon and Northeast Monsoon patterns that also affect regions like Anuradhapura, Sigiriya, and Trincomalee. Inflow is primarily from Hurulu Oya with overflow connecting to Minneriya Oya, creating hydrological links to other basins such as the Mahaweli basin and irrigation tanks including Parakrama Samudra. Hydrological studies by institutions in Colombo, Peradeniya, and Jaffna have examined sedimentation rates, evaporation influenced by temperatures recorded at Polonnaruwa observatories, and groundwater recharge affecting wells in villages like Hingurakgoda.
The tank’s bund and sluice infrastructure reflect Sinhalese reservoir engineering traditions comparable to elements at Kala Wewa, Tissa Wewa, and Parakrama Samudra. Stone-pitched spillways, sluice gates influenced by designs examined in British Public Works reports, and canal networks distributing water to paddy fields in Polonnaruwa District exemplify linkages to irrigation systems documented by archeologists from the University of Peradeniya and the Archaeological Department in Colombo. Restoration works in the 20th century involved contractors and engineers from Colombo, Anuradhapura, and Kandy and incorporated lessons from hydraulic projects such as the Maduru Oya scheme, the Moragahakanda project, and the Lunugamvehera reservoir rehabilitation. Modern monitoring uses hydrographic techniques promoted by Sri Lanka’s Irrigation Department and hydrology research from the International Water Management Institute.
Seasonal flooding at the reservoir creates marsh and open-water habitats that attract fauna from Hurulu Forest Reserve and Minneriya National Park, including Asian elephant populations studied by researchers from the University of Peradeniya, veterinarians associated with the Department of Wildlife Conservation, and conservationists from WWF Sri Lanka. Avifauna observations by ornithologists from Colombo, Trincomalee, and Batticaloa record migratory and resident species comparable to records at Bundala and Kumana National Parks. Aquatic species surveyed by ichthyologists from Jaffna and Peradeniya include cyprinids similar to those in the Mahaweli system; herpetologists from the Wildlife Heritage Trust and zoologists from the Smithsonian Sri Lanka studies note reptiles and amphibians linked ecologically to nearby ecosystems such as the Knuckles Range and Ritigala Strict Nature Reserve. Conservation biologists from international NGOs have compared elephant movement corridors between Kaudulla, Minneriya, and Wasgamuwa National Park.
The reservoir supports paddy cultivation in the Polonnaruwa District, benefitting farmers represented by cooperatives in Hingurakgoda and Dimbulagala and agronomists from the Department of Agriculture in Colombo. It is proximate to archaeological monuments in the Polonnaruwa World Heritage precinct, which are managed by the Archaeological Department and visited by tourists arriving via Colombo, Sigiriya, and Trincomalee. Cultural events linked to Buddhist temples and village rituals in the North Central Province underscore social ties between communities in Polonnaruwa, Anuradhapura, and Matale. The seasonal congregation of wildlife attracts ecotourism operators from Colombo and Kandy, tour guides associated with the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority, and researchers from academic centers such as the University of Colombo and the Open University of Sri Lanka, contributing to local economies and stakeholder forums.
Management falls under Sri Lanka’s Irrigation Department and the Department of Wildlife Conservation with coordination involving local divisional secretariats, NGOs such as WWF Sri Lanka, and research institutions including the International Water Management Institute and universities in Peradeniya and Colombo. Conservation measures address elephant-human conflict mitigation strategies developed by wildlife ecologists, community-based water management promoted by development agencies, and sedimentation control practices influenced by studies from the Mahaweli Authority and environmental assessments by the Central Environmental Authority. Integrated management emphasizes links to adjacent protected areas—Minneriya, Wasgamuwa, and Hurulu—while engaging stakeholders from local councils in Polonnaruwa, provincial authorities in North Central Province, and international conservation partners.
Category:Reservoirs in Sri Lanka Category:Polonnaruwa District Category:Protected areas of Sri Lanka