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Friday, June 8, 2018

Moragahakanda Dam Arial Visuals - YouTube
src: i.ytimg.com

The Moragahakanda Dam (Sinhalese: ????????? ??????????) is a large gravity dam, and the main component of the larger and more complex Moragahakanda -- Kalu Ganga Project, currently under construction across the Amban River at Elahera, in the Matale District of Sri Lanka. Construction began on 25 January 2007. The maiden waters of the dam was released in January 2017. Morgahakanda/Kaluganga project is the last of the Great Mahaveli project

The larger combined project involves the construction of the Moragahakanda Dam and Reservoir, along with the separate Kalu Ganga Dam and Reservoir, for irrigation and power generation purposes. Both these sites would be located approximately 10 km (6.2 mi) apart.

The total development cost for both sites totals to approximately Rs. 48.145 billion (approximately US$370 million) and is being carried out by SMEC Holdings and Sinohydro.


Video Moragahakanda Dam



History

The original Moragahakanda reservoir was first constructed by King Wasaba in 111 AD.

Mahaweli Development programme

According to the Mahaweli Master Plan of 1958, the development of Mahaweli was divided to three projects named A, B and C out of which the last 'C' project was the Moragahakanda Multi-Purpose Reservoir. In 1977 the project was modified and the Accelerated Mahaweli Scheme(AMS) started and was completed in 6 years. However Moragahakanda was not in the AMS. The J.R. Jayewardene Government would later secure funding for the project from Japan but communal violence delayed the project. The project finally commenced in January 2007 and Construction of the dam was completed in 2017.


Maps Moragahakanda Dam



Dam and reservoir

The Moragahakanda Dam, will be a 65 m (213 ft) high gravity dam. The dam will create the Moragahakanda Reservoir, which will have an active storage capacity of 521,000,000 m3 (1.84×1010 cu ft) of water, at a surface elevation of 185 m (607 ft).

Two additional embankment saddle dams will also be built to contain the Moragahakanda Reservoir. The reservoir of the Kalu Ganga Dam will be linked via tunnel.


File:Moragahakanda Dam.jpg - Wikimedia Commons
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Primary uses

Irrigation

Water from both, the Moragahakanda and Kalu Ganga reservoirs, will be primarily used to support agricultural needs to an area of at least 81,422 ha (814.2 km2). This will increase rice production by 81% or 109,000 t (240,000,000 lb), amounting to an estimated monetary benefit of US$1.67 million, annually.

Inland fishing

The reservoirs would also create a source of inland fishing, generating approximately 4,700 t (10,400,000 lb) or the monetary equivalent of US$1.67 million, annually.

Water supply

Along with the reservoir of the Kalu Ganga Dam, an increase of 64,000,000 m3 (2.3×109 cu ft) of potable and industrial water supply could be ensured by 2032, to regions including Matale, Anuradhapura, Trincomalee, and Polonnaruwa.

Power generation

Water from the Moragahakanda Reservoir will be used to power the 25-megawatt Moragahakanda Hydroelectric Power Station, also currently under construction. The substitution of this hydropower with traditional fossil fuel power generation is estimated to save up to US$ 2.49 billion annually.

Construction of the power station costs US$382 million, with an IRR of 22%.


Saving Animals at Moragahakanda Dam - YouTube
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Roads and bridges

The construction of the dam and reservoir also required the construction of multiple access roads and rerouting of existing main roads, as well as the construction of the 300 m (984 ft) long Moragahakanda Bridge costing Rs. 308 million.


Moragahakanda hydro-electricity plant ready to generate ...
src: www.pmdnews.lk


See also

  • List of dams and reservoirs in Sri Lanka
  • List of power stations in Sri Lanka

File:Moragahakanda Dam.jpg - Wikimedia Commons
src: upload.wikimedia.org


References


Moragahakanda hydro-electricity plant ready to generate ...
src: www.pmdnews.lk


External links

  • Uditha Jayasinghe (9 June 2012). "Chinese firm gets $ 382 million Moragahaka". Daily FT. Retrieved 14 January 2014. 
  • "Background Information: Moragahakande & Kalu Ganga Sectors". Sri Lanka Wildlife Conservation Society. Retrieved 14 January 2014. 
  • "Chinese man dies after eating poisonous yams in rural Sri Lanka". Global Times. 17 June 2013. Retrieved 14 January 2014. 

Source of article : Wikipedia