CONSTRUCTING CANALS

CONTENT
 What is a anAnicut?
 What is a Dam?
 Types of dams
 Construction of canals
 Requirements for constructing canals
 Technologies applied in constructing canals and challenges
faced
 Elahera Canal
 What is an anicut?

A bund that is constructed across canals,

steams or rivers blocking the flow of water in
order to divert some of that water to paddy
fields is known as an Anicut.
 A bund of this nature is known as a dam.
What is a Dam?
A bund that is constructed to retaining water is
known as a dam.
 After building dams across small streams at earliest stage,
 The technology of constructing huge dams a cross rivers and
steams were developed when giant tanks (Large scale tanks)
were constructed.
Types of dams

Make shift Dams Permanent Dams

 Makeshift Dams
 When the currents of the rivers slackened
(reduced) after the rainy season ends.
 Makeshift dams werebuilt by way of standing
wooden poles across the current and block the
flow of water withsmaller branches of trees,
mud and sand.
 They are built with the objective of getting water
for the near by paddy field during the dry season.
 Such dams get destroyed during rainy season.
 Permanent Dams
 They are constructed in a stable way
to last long.
 These dams are constructedusing
blocks of stones to withstand the
pressure of water.
 The foundation of the dam has been
joined to a natural rock plain or to
the bed rock by removing the top
layer of soil.
 Thekkam Anicut
Thekkam anicut that has been
constructed acrossMalwathu Oya
close toVavniya – Mannar main
junction .
 It is a fine example for an anicut with
apermanent dam.
 Water was carried over a distance of
about 17 miles up to Yoda Wewa in
Mannar through the canal that
begins from this anicut.
 Constructing canals
Canal Previous name Purpose of building Built by

Elahera Ela Aalisara Carry water to the Northern part of Sri King Wasabha
Lanka. (30 miles in distance) (constructed 12
canals)
Thalwathu Ela Thilavatthuka Obtaining water for the Minneriya tank King Mahasen

Yodha Ela Jaya Ganga Carry water from Kala Wewa to Thissa King Dhathusena
Wewa (54 miles long and certain parts 40
feet wide)
Minipe Ela - To carry water from Mahaweli River King Aggabodhi I
Requirements for constructing canals
 To carry water from tanks or anicuts to
farmlands.
 To carry water from an anicut to a tank or a tank
system. Yodha ela

 To carry water from one tank to another tank or

to several other tanks.

Elahera ela

Minipe ela
 Technologies applied in constructing
canals and challenges faced
 Variation in the geographical conditions.
When constructing very long and wide canals,
extremely accurate measurements of the height of
the land should be obtained from the beginning to the
end of the canal.
Example;- Jaya Ganga ( one inch per mile has been
maintained within the first 17 miles of Jaya Ganga )
 Digging the canal .
 Maintaining the correct width and depth.
 Building up bunds
Elahera canal
 Constructed for to carry water to the Northern part of
Sri Lanka. (30 miles in distance)
 In the book“Irrigation system in Ancient Sri Lanka” by
R.L. Brohier , describes how challenges had been
overcome in Elahera Canal (Ela).
Measures taken to prevent the banks of Elahera canal
from washing away.
oPlace where the steam of water joins the canal, the
bank of the canal have been constructed with stone
walls.
oSluice along the canal for diverting water to paddy
field have been constructed with stone blocks.
oPlaces where canal overflows spills have been
constructed laying stones.
Thank you!
HAVE A NICE DAY!