Iranamadu Tank

In 1902 the Director of Irrigation H. T. S. Ward came up with proposals for building a new irrigation tank on the Kanakarayan Aru in northern Ceylon.{{cite book|last1=Arumugam|first1=S.|authorlink1=S. Arumugam|title=Water Resources of Ceylon|date=1969|publisher=Water Resources Board|page=286|url=http://noolaham.net/project/35/3488/3488.pdf}} Work in the tank, which had a catchment area of {{Convert|227|sqmi|km2|0|abbr=on}} and was to hold {{Convert|26|ft|m|0|abbr=on}}{{Efn|Another source states that the initial depth was {{Convert|22|ft|m|0|abbr=on}}.}} of water, began in July 1902{{Efn|Another source states construction started in 1906.}} but was delayed by the World War I.{{cite book|last1=Arumugam|first1=S.|authorlink1=S. Arumugam|title=Water Resources of Ceylon|date=1969|publisher=Water Resources Board|page=25|url=http://noolaham.net/project/35/3488/3488.pdf}} Construction was completed in 1921{{Efn|Other sources state construction was completed in 1922.}} and the tank was filled and spilling in November 1921. The tank was created by joining up two low lying swamps of the Kanakarayan Aru. Construction was carried out manually and the labourers were housed in a new colony - present day Kilinochchi. The tank cost Rs. 194,000 to construct. The tank's name was derived from the Tamil words for two (iranai) and pond (madu).

In the 1940s a severe drought in the Jaffna islands resulted in large numbers of people migrating to the Kilinochchi area where they were given free land to farm near the Iranamadu tank. In 1951{{Efn|Another source states that the depth was increased to {{Convert|30|ft|m|0|abbr=on}} in 1954.}} the tank bund was raised to hold {{Convert|30|ft|m|0|abbr=on}} of water, increasing storage capacity to {{Convert|71000|acre.ft|0|abbr=on}}.{{cite web|title=The Iranamadu Irrigation Development Project (IIDP) - Overview|url=http://iesl.lk/page-1690881|publisher=The Institution of Engineers Sri Lanka|access-date=2016-01-02|archive-date=2016-03-04|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304043632/http://iesl.lk/page-1690881|url-status=dead}} An additional sluice was built on the right bank and the tank was extended onto lands on both banks. The bund was raised to {{Convert|32|ft|m|0|abbr=on}} in 1954 to give a storage capacity of {{Convert|82000|acre.ft|0|abbr=on}}.

By the late 1960s the tank had a water spread area of {{Convert|5750|acre|ha|0|abbr=on}}. The bund was {{Convert|9850|ft|m|0|abbr=on}} long. There was a controlled overflow spill on the left bank. The left bank sluice was 5 ft by 4 ft whilst the right bank sluice was 4 ft by 2 ft 8 in. The tank was capable of irrigating {{Convert|18844|acre|ha|0|abbr=on}} of land. The bund was raised to {{Convert|34|ft|m|0|abbr=on}} in 1975{{Efn|Another source states that the depth was increased in 1977.}} to give a storage capacity of {{Convert|106500|acre.ft|0|abbr=on}}.

Concerns were raised about the integrity of the bund during the monsoon rains of 1983. An investigation by K. Vigneswaran, deputy director of Irrigation, in early 1984 found that the bund was too weak to hold water higher than {{Convert|32|ft|m|0|abbr=on}} and so Vigneswaran ordered that water levels not exceed that amount.

The tank was {{Convert|6|mi|km|0|abbr=on}} long, {{Convert|1|mi|km|0|abbr=on}} wide and {{Convert|34|ft|m|0|abbr=on}} in 2012. It was capable of irrigating {{Convert|20882|acre|ha|0|abbr=on}} via {{Convert|20|mi|km|0|abbr=on}} of channels. By 2014 the tank was capable of irrigating {{Convert|21985|acre|ha|0|abbr=on}}.

Jaffna peninsula, which has a population of nearly 600,000, has no perennial rivers and is heavily reliant on groundwater.{{cite web|title=Jaffna and Kilinochchi Water Supply and Sanitation Project: Initial Environmental Examination|url=http://www.adb.org/sites/default/files/project-document/62583/37378-01-sri-ieeab.pdf|publisher=Asian Development Bank|date=October 2010}} Unregulated water extraction for industrial, agricultural and domestic use has resulted in acute water scarcity.{{cite web|title=Jaffna and Kilinochchi Water Supply and Sanitation Project: Project Data Sheet|url=http://www.adb.org/projects/37378-013/main?page-1=1#tabs-0-1|publisher=Asian Development Bank}} The water is also polluted due to the absence of a sewerage system and seawater intrusion caused by indiscriminate limestone quarrying.{{cite news|title=Portending danger for potable water in Jaffna|url=http://www.tamilnet.com/art.html?artid=26503&catid=79|work=TamilNet|date=3 August 2008}}{{cite news|title=Illegal excavation of limestone threatens ecology of Jaffna|url=https://www.tamilnet.com/art.html?catid=79&artid=32023|work=TamilNet|date=21 June 2010}} In the 1960s Deputy Director of Irrigation of S. Arumugam developed the River for Jaffna project (known as the Arumugam plan), which involved diverting the freshwater discharged by the Kanakarayan Aru into the heart of the Jaffna peninsula via the Vadamarachchi Lagoon.{{cite magazine|title=Sanmugam Arumugam (1905–2000)|magazine=Tamil Times|date=15 May 2000|volume=XIX|issue=5|pages=30–31|url=http://noolaham.net/project/36/3589/3589.pdf|issn=0266-4488}}{{cite news|last1=Arumugam|first1=Thiru|last2=Shanmugarajah|first2=K.|last3=Mendis|first3=D. L. O.|title=A River for Jaffna|url=http://www.island.lk/2008/08/31/features5.html|work=The Island|date=31 August 2008}} Whilst parts of the projects were completed in the 1960s, the crucial Mulliyan channel linking Chundikkulam Lagoon with Vadamarachchi Lagoon wasn't built. In 1983 the Sri Lankan government approved the completion of the project but the outbreak of the Sri Lankan Civil War put an end to the plans.{{cite news|last1=Mendis|first1=D. L. O.|title=A river for Jaffna – the Arumugam Plan|url=http://archives.dailynews.lk/2009/05/05/fea03.asp|work=Daily News (Sri Lanka)|date=5 May 2009}}

In 2006 the Sri Lankan government developed a new plan to supply water to Jaffna peninsula, the Jaffna and Kilinochchi Water Supply and Sanitation Project, which involved drawing water from Iranamadu Tank and transferring via pipeline to the peninsula.{{cite news|last1=Arumugam|first1=Thiru|title=A River For Jaffna|url=http://www.thesundayleader.lk/2013/06/23/a-river-for-jaffna/|work=The Sunday Leader|access-date=2016-01-02|archive-date=2016-03-04|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304045131/http://www.thesundayleader.lk/2013/06/23/a-river-for-jaffna/|url-status=dead}} However, to ensure that farmers in Kilinochchi District continued to receive adequate supplies of water for irrigation, the tank bund would be repaired and raised by 2 feet to store and extract an additional 27,000m³ of water a day. A new raw water intake would be constructed near the tank's left bank main channel sluice. The raw water would then flow, under the influence of gravity, from the tank to Paranthan via a new 12 km 800mm diameter ductile iron pipe located alongside the existing left bank irrigation channel. From Paranthan the raw water would flow, under the influence of gravity, to Pallai via a new 20.5 km 600mm diameter high-density polyethylene (HDPE) pipe located alongside the A9 highway. At Pallai the raw water would be treated at a new water treatment plant before being pumped, via 45 km 600mm diameter ductile iron treated water main running alongside existing roads, to 17 new and 11 refurbished elevated water towers on the peninsula, and ground sumps at Kaddudai and Araliturai. The water towers will supply water, via 520 km 63-300mm diameter unplasticized polyvinyl chloride (uPVC)/medium-density polyethylene (MDPE) pipes, to Chavakachcheri, Jaffna, Kodikamam, Kopay, Navatkuli and Pallai. The ground sump at Kaddudai will pump water, via transmission mains, to Karaitivu and Velanaitivu. The ground sump at Araliturai on Velanaitivu will then pump water, via transmission mains, onto Pungudutivu, Mandativu, Nainativu, Analativu and Eluvaitivu.

The whole project, including sewerage and sanitation improvement in Jaffna, is expected to cost $164.04 million (Rs 17,880 million) of which $90 million will come from an Asian Development Bank loan, $40 million from a French Development Agency loan and the remaining $34.04 million from the Sri Lankan government.{{cite web|title=Jaffna and Kilinochchi Water Supply and Sanitation Project: Proposed Loans and Technical Assistance Grant|url=http://www.adb.org/sites/default/files/project-document/62333/37378-01-sri-rrp.pdf|publisher=Asian Development Bank|date=November 2010}}{{cite news|last1=Sirimane|first1=Shirajiv|title=ADB promoting entrepreneurs|url=http://archives.dailynews.lk/2011/12/14/bus01.asp|work=Daily News (Sri Lanka)|date=14 December 2011}} The project is expected to be completed in February 2017 and result in 60,000 new water connections benefiting 300,000 people and 20,000 mains sewer connections benefiting 80,000 people.{{cite news|title=ADB funds Rs. 10 b to boost water supply, sanitation in north|url=http://www.ft.lk/article/17926/ADB-funds-Rs--10-b--to-boost-water-supply--sanitation-in-north|work=Daily FT|date=9 February 2011}}{{cite journal|last1=Ranasinghe|first1=Hemanthi|title=Are Water Resources Sufficient to Support the Proposed Development in the Northern Province?|journal=Journal of Environmental Professionals Sri Lanka|date=2013|volume=2|issue=2|pages=42–56|doi=10.4038/jepsl.v2i2.6329 |url=http://jepsl.sljol.info/articles/abstract/10.4038/jepsl.v2i2.6329/|doi-access=free}}

In 1950s and 1960s the Ceylonese government, with the assistance of the United Nations Development Programme and Food and Agriculture Organization, developed the Mahaweli Master Plan to use the waters of the Mahaweli River basin to irrigate Dry Zone land in northern and eastern Ceylon, and generate electricity.{{cite book|title=Sri Lanka Year Book 1975|publisher=Department of Census and Statistics, Sri Lanka|pages=63–66|url=http://noolaham.net/project/120/11908/11908.pdf}}{{cite news|last1=Wijenayake|first1=Tudor|title=Moragahakanda Project for north-south reconciliation|url=http://www.ft.lk/2015/02/11/moragahakanda-project-for-north-south-reconciliation/sfhssdfh/|work=Daily FT|date=11 February 2015|access-date=2 January 2016|archive-date=4 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304191900/http://www.ft.lk/2015/02/11/moragahakanda-project-for-north-south-reconciliation/sfhssdfh/|url-status=dead}} The 30-year plan was to cost Rs. 6,700 million and was divided into three phases. Phase 1 (Polgolla Diversion) was constructed in the 1970s. Following the 1977 parliamentary election the new government introduced the Accelerated Mahaweli Project which shortened the period from 30 years to 5/6 years but increased the cost from Rs. 6,700 million to Rs. 15,000 million.{{cite book|title=Sri Lanka Year Book 1977|publisher=Department of Census and Statistics, Sri Lanka|pages=17–18|url=http://noolaham.net/project/148/14702/14702.pdf}} Phase 2 (Victoria-Minipe Diversion) was completed in the 1980s but phase 3 (Moragahakanda Project) was abandoned due to water scarcity and the outbreak of the Sri Lankan Civil War.{{cite book|last1=Hoole|first1=Rajan|authorlink1=Rajan Hoole|title=Palmyra Fallen: Rajani to War's End|date=May 2014|publisher=University Teachers for Human Rights|url=http://www.uthr.org/Rajani/End%20Note%20to%20Ch.10.htm|chapter=End Note to Chapter 10: The Gnarled Saga of the NCP Canal}} The Moragahakanda Project had originally intended to connect the Mahaweli basin to the Kanakarayan Aru via a new canal - the North Central Province Canal.{{cite web|title=Proposed System by Phases|url=http://www.fao.org/docrep/X5648E/x5648e0e.gif|publisher=Food and Agriculture Organization}}

A modified Moragahakanda Project commenced in January 2007 with the construction of Moragahakanda Reservoir and Kalu Ganga Reservoir.{{cite news|last1=Krishnaswamy|first1=P.|title=Water facilities to 82,000 ha of lands : Major irrigation projects for the North|url=https://archives.sundayobserver.lk/2014/11/02/fea10.asp|work=Sunday Observer (Sri Lanka)|date=2 November 2014}} The Moragahakanda Reservoir was financed by a $558 million loan from the China Development Bank and the Kalu Ganga Reservoir was finance by loans from Japan International Cooperation Agency ($109 million) Saudi Fund for Development ($46 million) Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development ($37 million) and OPEC Fund for International Development ($16 million).{{cite web|title=Mahaweli Water Security Investment Program|url=http://www.adb.org/sites/default/files/linked-documents/47381-001-dc.pdf|publisher=Asian Development Bank}}

The North Central Province Canal Project (NCPCP) was launched in 2015.{{cite news|last1=Wijenayake|first1=Tudor|title=Moragahakanda Project hijacked, needs rectification|url=http://www.ft.lk/article/485473/Moragahakanda-Project-hijacked--needs-rectification|work=Daily FT|date=20 October 2015}} Phase 1 of the NCPCP includes the construction of the Kalu Ganga–Moragahakanda Transfer Canal between Kalu Ganga Reservoir and Moragahakanda Reservoir and construction of the Upper Elahera Canal connecting Moragahakanda Reservoir to existing reservoirs (Eruwewa, Huruluwewa, Mahakanadarawa and Manankattiya).{{cite web|title=Mahaweli Water Security Investment Program: Proposed Multitranche Financing Facility|url=http://www.adb.org/sites/default/files/project-document/161157/47381-001-rrp.pdf|publisher=Asian Development Bank|date=June 2015}} Phase 1 is expected to cost $675 million of which $453 million will come from an Asian Development Bank loan, $108 million from the Sri Lankan government and the remaining $114 million from other financiers. Phase 1 is expected to be completed by the end of 2024.{{cite web|title=Sri Lanka: Water Resources Development Investment Program|url=http://www.adb.org/sites/default/files/project-document/153412/47381-003-tacr-01.pdf|publisher=Asian Development Bank|date=December 2014}} Phase 2 of the NCPCP includes the construction of the North Central Province Canal between Manankattiya to Chemamadu Kulam on the Kanakarayan Aru near Omanthai.{{cite web|title=Environmental Impact Assessment Report|url=http://www.adb.org/sites/default/files/project-document/153180/47381-001-eia-01.pdf|publisher=Ministry of Irrigation and Water Resources Management, Sri Lanka|date=December 2014}} Phase 2 is expected to cost Rs. 130 billion and be completed by 2029.{{Efn|Another source shows Phase 2 of the NCPCP being split into two - Phase 2 (2024-27) and Phase 3 (2028–2032).}}

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{{Reflist|2}}

• {{Commons category-inline|Iranaimadu Tank}}

{{Inland waters of Sri Lanka}}

{{Northern Province, Sri Lanka topics}}

Category:1921 establishments in Ceylon

Category:Irrigation tanks in Sri Lanka

Category:Bodies of water of Kilinochchi District

Category:Bodies of water of Mullaitivu District

Category:Lakes of Sri Lanka