Investigation of the Effectiveness of Salt Barrages in Jaffna Peninsula: Phase 2
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Date
2013
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Journal ISSN
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Publisher
Uva Wellassa University of Sri Lanka
Abstract
The Vadamarachchi lagoon and the Upparu lagoon have surface areas of about 77 and 26 km
respectively. These lagoons have openings to the sea and are salt water lagoons. However,
during the Northeast monsoon, rainwater from their catchment areas also collects in them. The
total catchment area of these lagoons is about 50% of the area of the peninsula (Balendran,
1968). Groundwater is the prime source for people in Jaffna peninsula for their drinki ng,
domestic and agricultural activities. Even though the households have their own wells, majority
of the wells in the study area are affected by salt water intrusion. Thus, as a prevention measure
barrages were constructed. The Thondamanaru barrage commenced in 1947, a separation bund
between the Vadamarachchi lagoon and Upparu lagoon was constructed along a saddle between
the two lagoons. Subsequently Upparu lagoon was incorporated into the scheme by the
construction of a semi-circular spill at its outlet at Ariyalai. Thondamanaru barrage was
completed in 1953 and Ariyalai barrage in 1955 (Shanmugarajah, 1993). Barrage serves as a
salt water exclusion bund to convert the internal salt water lagoon Upparu, to fresh water lake is
expected to improve the water resources of the peninsula, both in recharging the underground
storage with additional surface storage and desalinating the lands fringing the lagoons
(Balendran et al., 2012).
Description
Keywords
Mineral Sciences, Salt Barrages, Waste Water Treatment, Water quality, Mineral, Materials Sciences