Mahaweli Development Project
The Mahaweli Development Project is a notable and highly successful irrigation scheme implemented in Sri Lanka. Initially planned for a 30-year implementation period, the project underwent revision under the Accelerated Mahaweli Development Programme in 1977, reducing the implementation timeframe to 6 years.
As part of the project, a total of 10 reservoirs were constructed and rehabilitated, with a combined capacity of 2670 million cubic meters (MCM). The main canals spanned a length of 370 kilometers, while the branch canals covered 350 kilometers. The project encompassed the development of 467,584 hectares of land, benefiting a total of 128,568 settlers under the Accelerated Mahaweli Ganga Development Scheme.
