Sri Lanka's rivers

There are 103 rivers and streams with most flowing from the upcountry mountains of Sri Lanka. The longest is the Mahaweli. It starts its 333 km journey near Adam’s Peak and finds its way into the Indian Ocean at Koddiyar Bay at Trincomalee. It is the only perennial river to cross the dry Zone. Sri Lanka’s perennial rivers are called Ganga,and other streams are called Oya in Sinhala or Aru in Tamil. A number of rivers have now been developed both for irrigation and power. The Victoria power project on Mahavali Ganga is one of the largest in Asia. The other power projects are Kothmale, Rantambe and Randenigala on the Mahaveli river.
Kala - Oya starts from Kalawewa Reservoir built in the 5th Century.
Other rivers which are over 100 Kms long:
Name of River Length
Mahaweli Ganga 335 km
Aruvi Aru 164 km
Kala Oya 148 km
Kelani Ganga 145 km
Yan Oya 142 km
Deduru Oya 142 km
Walawe Ganga 138 km
Maduru Oya 135 km
Maha Oya 134 km
Kalu Ganga 129 km
Kirindi Oya 117 km
Kumbukkan Oya 116 km
Menik Oya 114 km
Gin Ganga 113 km
Mi Oya 109 km
Gal Oya 108 km

Mahaweli

The Mahaweli River is a 335 km long river, ranking as the longest river in Sri Lanka. Its drainage basin is the largest in the country, and covers almost one-fifth of the total area of the island. The river reaches the Bay of Bengal on the southwestern side of Trincomalee Bay. The bay includes the first of number submarine canyons, making Trincomalee one of the finest deep-sea harbors in the world. The river and its tributaries are dammed at several locations to allow irrigation in the dry zone, Production of hydroelectricity from six dams of the Mahaweli system supplies more than 40% of Sri Lanka's electricity needs. One of the many sources of the river is the Kotmale Oya.

Kealani

The Kelani River is 145 km Long River in Sri Lanka. Ranking as the fourth longest river in the country, it stretches from the Sri Pada Mountain Range to Colombo. It covers approximately 80% of the water supply to Colombo. In addition to that, the river is used for transport, fisheries, sewage disposal, sand mining and for production of hydroelectricity. Due to these, many people depend on the river for their daily routine in life.
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Sri Lanka the Bird Watching Paradise in Indian Ocean

Kuman is situated in east Coast, Bundala, Kalamatiya are is in the southern coast, Sinharaja Rain Forest, Udawatta Kale, Bellanwila, Muthurajawela, Minneriya, Kitulgala and Minipe are other important Bird watching locations. In additions you can see birds through out the country in pockets of forests, lakes, lagoons and river sides during your travel.


Low Land Dry Zone Birds

include Malabar Pied Hornbill (Psittacula kraman), Drongo (Dicrurus adsmilis), Racquet Trailed Drongo (Dicrurus paradieus), Little Green Bee Eater (Merops Orientails), Peafowl (Pavo Cristata).

The Dryzone Tanks are shallow man made reservoirs forms very important habitat for birds. The large Pot-billed Pelican (Pelicanus Philippensis), Little Egret (Egretta garzetta), Cattle Egret (Babulcus ibis), Red Wattled Lapwing (Vanellus indicus), Peasent Tailed Jacna (Hydrophasianus Chirurgus)




The Wet and Highland zone

The Wet and Highland zone birds has rich veriety of birds only found in this areas other than common birds. Many of the 26 Endemic birds including two members of parrots family are found in Sinhraja, Kitulgala, Udawatta Kale. The Ceylon Lorikeet (Loriculus Berilinus), The endemic Layard Parakeet (Psitticula calthorpae), The Gackel or Hill Myna (Gracula religiosa), The Ceylon Grackel (Gracula ptilogenys), The endemic Yellow Eared Bullbul (Pycnonotus penicillatus)
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