Flood & Drought Mitigation Studies

In Eravur Pattu Division

2014/15
With the special focus on Irralakulam area

Part 2

Funded By: Conducted By:

 Table of contents

Page No

1.0 Acknowledgement 03

2.0 Introduction 04

3.0 Background 05

4.0 Scope of the Study 05

5.0 Findings 06

6.0 Recommendations 08

6.1 Providing access to the village during flood time 08

6.1.1 Bridge across Mundenai Aru at Mylavettuwan Ferry 08

6.1.2 Redesign & Modify the bridge across Lavanaiaru 08
6.1.3 Provide a Bridge to access Perumavelli village from Kudaveddai 09
6.1.4 Bridge between Illukupothanai Village & Velayandachenai Village 10
6.1.5 Channel cleaning between Murakamadu and Santhanamadu 11

6.2 Straightening the Maduru Oya from Pulipanchakal Causeway 12

6.3 Diverting Maduru Oya at Oddamavadi 12
6.4 Internal Drainage network 14
6.5 Internal Agricultural Road network 14
6.6 Improvements of Minor Irrigation Tank 15
6.7 Improvements of Thona (Drainages adjacent to Lagoon) 15
6.8 Amalgamation of Rugam – Kitulwewa Reservoirs 17
6.9 Amalgamation of VaradichchaCholai tank and Illukkupothanai tank 18

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 1.0 Acknowledgement

The Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) is acknowledged for granting the
necessary funds for flood recovery activities in the Northern and Eastern parts of Sri Lanka after
the floods of Christmas 2014, where ZOA implemented the ACRP3 program.

As part of this recovery initiative, DFAT funds have been used to conduct this flood mitigation
studies Part 2 with the support of local engineers, consultants and ZOA technical staff.

Also thanks to the Government Agent of Batticaloa, the Planning Director of Batticaloa District,
the Divisional Secretary of Eravur Pattu for granting necessary approvals to implement this
recovery project and the heads of Agrarian, Irrigation departments and Pradesha Sabah staff,
who have extended technical assistance to conduct this mitigation studies in an appropriate
manner, Grama Sevaka Officer of Irralakulam area for guiding us & providing necessary
information to carry out this study.

Special thanks for Irralakulam farmer’s organization members who directed us to visit the
abandoned minor tanks locations, Anicuts, channels and access roads and proposing remote
locations for renovation. Further we acknowledged the President of the Farmers Organization
and other representatives of farmers who assisted by providing necessary field level details.

Lastly, we would like to thank the farmers, government officers and staffs those who have
contributed to this study directly or indirectly for the successful completion of this document.

ZOA expects that these recommendations will be further operationalized and implemented by
the Batticaloa district, the provincial governments and the other stakeholders in order to
mitigate flood damages of vulnerable communities who are at risks of flooding in Batticaloa
District.

The Eastern ZOA team,

Batticaloa, 3 March 2016

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 2.0 Introduction

Batticaloa District is located in the eastern part of Sri Lanka. The District is bound by Mahaweli
Ganga in the North, Andel Oya (Moonkil Aru) in the South and the East is bordered by the Indian
Ocean. Batticaloa Districts is comprised of several islands separated by the Batticaloa Lagoon.
The district is vulnerable to Climate related disaster since there are sixteen rivers flowing through
the districts of which seven are inter-provincial rivers.

The rivers that cross Batticaloa Districts are:

No. Name of River Catchment Average Annual Discharge of Water
2
Area (km ) Rainfall in mm to the Sea (MCM)
01 Andel Oya 522 1,775 278
02 Thumpankernyaru 9 1,500 4
03 Nammakadaaru 12 1,500 5
04 Manalpittyaru 100 1,500 45
05 Panthanthopuaru 100 1,500 45
06 Vettuaru 26 1,500 12
07 Mahilavettuwanaru 346 1,880 195
08 Mundenaiaru 1,280 1,973 757
09 Miyangolla Ela 225 1,500 101
10 Maduru Oya 1,541 1,900 226
11 Pulliyanpotta Aru 52 1,500 23
12 Kirimichchai Aru 77 1,500 35
13 Podigolla Aru 164 1,500 74
14 Manthan Aru 13 1,500 6
15 Maharachchi Aru 37 1,500 17
16 Mahaweli Ganga 10,327 2,000 4,009

Source: Irrigation Department

All the river falls into the Batticaloa Lagoon & Valaichchenai Lagoon except Mahaweli Ganga
which ends into the sea directly. The water spread area of Batticaloa Lagoon & Valaichchenai
Lagoons are 84 km2& 25 km2 respectively. The Batticaloa district had a natural drainage system
earlier and those have been called as Thona. Presently those thonas have been blocked by
encroachers and those water paths have been given to the public without the knowledge of the
drainage paths and due to lack of maintenance. In addition to the above there were lot of water
retaining bodies existed in early days and presently those have been filled and developed with
the permission of local authorities without the knowledge of the flood in Batticaloa district.

Though the flood occurs during North East monsoonal rainy period, the rainfall during South
West monsoonal rainfall is limited to the Batticaloa District and therefore the drought disasters
occurs in some places of Batticaloa District since there is no sufficient storage facilities to store
water during North East monsoonal rainfall.

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The Monthly Long Term average Rainfall, North East Monsoonal Long Term average Rainfall,
South West Monsoonal Long Term average Rainfall and Long Term average Annual Rainfall are
shown in the following table.

Month Jan Feb Mar Apri May June July Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec NEM SEM Annual
Average 171 350 411 243 130 75 56 38 33 34 39 74 1,079 575 1,654
Rainfall in mm
Source: Irrigation Department

The study area is located in Eravur Pattu Divisional Secretary Area, in Irralakulam Gramasevaka
Division. The Irralakulam area is bounded by the Mdella Ela on west and the name of the river
has been changed as Nela Ela on south and the name of the river has been changed Karandagaha
Ela in downstream and falling in to Lavanaiaru on east and finally the lavanaiaru falling into
Mundenaiaru and on west & north surrounded by Miyangalla Ela.

3.0 Background

Irralakulam Gramasevaka Division falls in Eravurpattu Divisional Secretary Division in Batticaloa

District. The Irralakulam area is bounded by the Mdella Ela on west and the name of the river has
been changed as Nela Ela on south and the name of the river has been changed Karandagaha Ela
in downstream and falling in to Lavanaiaru on east and finally the lavanaiaru falling into
Mundenaiaru and on west & north surrounded by Miyangalla Ela. There are about 48 minor tanks
existing in that area as working as well as abandoned and there are 41 villages exist in that area.
Out of 48 minor tanks only 19 are working & the balance are abandoned.

There are 350 families permanently reside in

Irralakulam area where as 5000 families are
dependable in that area with agriculture & cattle
farming in that area. There are about 800,000 cattle
available in Irralakulam area.
Source: Personal Discussion with Grama Sevaka Officer No
health service including building for a dispensary
and staff available in Irralakulam area. There are
four schools existing in Irralakulam area where as
the Teachers are coming from outside and
therefore they cannot come to school during flood
period. Also no marketing facilities available and
during flood no access other than the Ferry at Mylavettuwan and therefore the people face lot
of problems in Marketing of Agricultural products & Cattle products.

3.0 Scope of the Study

The Irralakulam area is bounded by two rivers namely Lavanaiaru & Miyangalla Ela those carry
heavy flow during rainy season the area get flooded and the access to the area is getting
disturbed and the people living in those area face problem to access their residence from the
towns. As such they face lot of problems like taking the patients, pregnant ladies to the hospital,
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bring the foods to the village and other urgent needs from the town. On the other hand during
dry season the people face problem of getting drinking water & other domestic requirement due
to scarcity of water in the well in that area.

The main problems of the people in Irralakulam area are wild Elephants, Flood Disaster & Drought
disaster. As such ZOA wanted to study the Flood Mitigation measures & the Drought Mitigation
measures in that area to overcome their difficulties during Rainy season & Dry season
respectively.

4.0 Findings

The Irralakulam area falls in to DL 2 Agro-ecological zone Hydrological Zone of 1. The 75%
probability rainfall for this agro ecological zone is 813mm in the Maha Season (October to March)
& 100 mm in the Yala Season (April to September). As this area fall under Dry Agro ecological
zone average annual rainfall will be 1,250 mm. It has been observed the following three disasters
are critical in that area and need attention as early as possible. The first disaster is conflict
between human & wild elephant. This is a crucial disaster & need early attention on this disaster.
Then the flood & Drought are becoming the second vulnerable disaster in Irralakulam area.
During the flood period the access to the Irralakulam area & internal access will be cut down and
during drought their domestic water need will be cut down & the residential people face lot of
problem for their living and they have carry water from the sources for more than two km and
their cattle too get water scarce & they also find difficulty for their survival.

The followings are the minor tanks in the Irralakulam area along with the coordinates & the
present condition of the same.

No. Name of Tank GPS Coordinate Present Command

Condition area (acs)
01 Puludumanodai Tank Breached &Abandoned 200
02 Irachchakal Tank Breached &Abandoned

03 Waradichcholai Tank (286.3 N, 278.9 E) Working Tank 150

04 Perumavelikulam (288.7 N, 281.3 E) Working Tank 150
05 WeeriyanKulam (288.9 N, 281.8 E) Working Tank N/A
06 Arasaiyadaikulam (288.2 N, 279.9 E) Working tank N/A
07 KudaveddaiKulam (288.4 N, 279.4 E) Working tank 100
08 Sinnaththuraichchenaikulam (287.8 N, 277.4 E) Working tank N/A
09 Soodupathinaveddaikulam (287.8 N, 277.1 E) Breached & Abandoned N/A
10 Kuruganamadu Tank (285.7 N, 270.6 E) Breached & Abandoned 800
11 Ahaththiyar Tank (284.4 N, 271.3 E) Breached & Abandoned 200
12 Alaiyadi Tank (284.3 N, 272.6 E) Breached & Abandoned 100
13 Koolavadichcholai Tank (283.6 N, 275.2 E) Breached & Abandoned 100
14 Lavanai Tank (282.5 N, 275.5 E) Working 100
15 Vitpanaimadu tank (281 N, 271 E) Working 100
16 Thivukulam (290.1 N, 281.1 E) Breached N/A

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17 Ichchankaddukulam (289.2 N, 279.1 E) Abandoned N/A
18 Mavadimunmarikulam (287.3 N, 281.7 E) Working N/A
19 Illukukulam (286.9 N, 281.3 E) Working & N/A
20 Alahipodikuam Fully abandoned N/A
21 Sothayankulam (285.4 N, 279.4 E) Abandoned N/A
22 Valinuwaravelikulam (285.2 N, 274.8 E) Working N/A
23 Periyavettuwankulam (286.2 N, 276 E) Working N/A
24 Aavettiyawelikulam (282.5 N, 274.2 E) Working N/A
25 Vellaiyandachenaikulam (287.9 N, 280.8 E) Working N/A
26 Irralakulam (285.3 N, 276.6 E) Working N/A
27 Mullivettuwankulam (285.9 N, 277.8 E) Working N/A
28 Palasingamkulam Not located Abandoned N/A
29 NagalingamKulam Not located Working N/A
30 Pannichchaiyadikulam Not located Abandoned N/A
31 Ithiyadikulam Not located Abandoned N/A
32 Veppathavelikulam Not located Breached N/A
33 Thiruvendakulam Not located Abandoned N/A
34 Kevarmalaikulam Not located Abandoned N/A
35 Kontayankulam (Visaraikulam) Not located Abandoned N/A
36 Navundaniyamadukulam Not located Breached N/A
37 Vantharukulam Not located Working N/A
38 Kumararadikulam Not located Abandoned N/A
39 Mylanthalanikulam Not located Abandoned N/A
40 Aavettiyavelimelkulam Not located Abandoned N/A
41 Ingiriyamadukulam Not located Abandoned N/A
42 Samulancholaikulam Not located Abandoned N/A
43 Kanthandakulam Not located Breached N/A
44 Vandandakulam Not located Working N/A
45 Chimilpanichchancholaikulam Not located Working N/A
46 Athiyandamunmarikulam Not located Working N/A
47 Vaathidaveddaikulam Not located Abandoned N/A
48 Medduchenaikulam Not located Abandoned N/A

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5.0 Recommendations

By looking all the difficulties & possibilities of resources, the following recommendations have
been arrived.

6.1 Providing access to the village during flood time

The village of Irralakulam gets isolated during flood due to inaccessible by from both sides as
Kiran & Mavadiodai. As such the following recommendations have been made:

4.1.1 Construct a new bridge across Mundenai Aru at Mylavettuwan Ferry (Estimated 150M Rs)

The villagers have the access up to the Mylavettuwan Ferry and they don’t have any
crossings at the specified location to cross the Mundenaiaru which carry large amount of
flood during flood period. As such providing a bridge to cross the Mundenaiaru will solve
the part of the problem of the villagers for their access during flood. This may help the
villagers for the marketing of their product & milk during flood period which may enhance
the standard of living of the villagers of Irralakulam.

Government Services delayed due to access Civilian travel during medium water flow
interruption

4.1.2 Redesign & Modify the bridge across Lavanaiaru (Estimated: Rs.25M)

At present a bridge was constructed across Lavanaiaru along the road from Mavadiodai
to Irralakulam. That bridge is insufficient to cater the flood from Lavanaiaru and that
bridge has to be redesign to cater flood from Lavanaiaru within the bridge opening to
allow the bridge to pass over the bridge during flood.

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4.1.3 Provide a Bridge to access Perumavelli village from Kudaveddai (Estimated; Rs.1.2M)

During flood the boat services from Murakoddanchenai reached the Perumavelli Village.
But due to the cutdown of the access from other villages to Perumavelli, the villagers are
facing problem though the dry rations or any other facilities are provided during the flood.
The location of the bridge is located by the coordinate as (288.5 N , 280.9 E).

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 Proposed Causeway

4.1.4 Provide a bridge or a Causeway across the river between Illukupothanai (Sellimadu)
Village & Velayandachenai Village (Estimated: Rs.6.0M)

A river is crossing the roadway in between Illukupothanai Village &Vellaiyandachenai

Village. During the flood period this river carries lot of flood and the road get flooded at
the location of the crossing. Due to this reason the access from Illukupothanai village &
Vellaiyandachenai village get cutdown and the villagers facing problems. As such a bridge
or a road crossing to be provided at the location of (287.3 N, 282.1 E) to cater the flood,

Access between Irralakulam-Illukku / (6-8’ Flood channel during dry seasons

flood water flows during rainy season)

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4.1.5 Channel cleaning between Murakamadu and Santhanamadu (from Illukku) (Estimate Rs.5.0M)

Sellimadu channel should be cleaned and widen for the easy drainage of the flood water.
Also existed natural flow path which has been blocked by farmers need to be renovated
by removing those blocks and divert the water to Santhanamadu river (Mundenai Aru),
which will reduce flood water in sellimadu area.

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4.2 Straightening the Maduru Oya from Pulipanchakal Causeway (Estimated: Rs.6.0M)

Maduru Oya &Mundenaiaru meets at Kiran Bridge and flows to Valaichchenai Sea outlet through
Oddamavadi Bridge. As both rivers are meeting very closer to the Kiran Bridge there is a
backwater effect at Sittandy,
Murakoddanchenai area that creates flood in
Sittandy, Murakoddanchenai &
Vantharumoolaiget villages. In addition to
this Maduruoya meandering towards the
access road to Puipanchchakal village, the
road get damaged due to excessive flood. As
such Maduru Oya could be straightened
from Puipanchchakal causeway along the
marshy land without falling to just
downstream of Kiran Bridge. This proposal
may lead to less inundation of Sittandy &
Murakoddanchenai villages.

4.3 Diverting Maduru Oya at Oddamavadi (Estimated Rs.100.0M)

As explained in section 02 the Maduru Oya is falling to the Mundenaiaru at Kiran Bridge and falls
to the sea through Oddamavadi Bridge. Because both rivers carry lot of flood water the area the
villages just upstream of Kiran Bridge such Murakoddanchenai, Sittandy & Vantharumoolaiget
inundated during flood period. These two rivers have to be flow through Oddamavadi Bridge to
fall in to the sea. According to the present condition the Oddamavadi Bridge is a bottle neck and
if one of the river have been diverted downstream of the Oddamavadi Bridge there is a possibility
of reducing the flood upstream of the Oddamavadi bridge and allowing the flood to flow easily
to the sea without any obstruction.

The above proposal is shown in the diagram below and the proposed channel trace is shown in
blue colour. The proposed path was already existed but to unplanned settlement or unplanned
approval for housing those drainage paths have been closed now. Action to be taken to reopen
those paths including improving the culvert on A 15 road.

There is an existing natural drainage channel that crosses the Paper Factory compound, the
railway, the A15 and then falls into the lagoon downstream of the main bridge at Oddamavady.
This channel includes four bridges: one railway bridge, one bridge in the A15, and two bridges (or
box culverts) in local roads in the village next to the A15 (see figure). The smallest of the bridges
are likely the bridges in the village. If the channel (with a total length of 3.7 km) is upgraded and
the village bridges are increased to an appropriate size, the bridge in the A15 will be the limiting
factor to the capacity of the channel. This bridge has an estimated capacity of 5 m3/s. If the Road
Development Authority is able and willing to construct a bigger bridge or box culvert at this
location, the railway bridge will be the limiting factor. This bridge has a capacity of about 10-15
m3/s. That will take about 2% of the maximum flow in the river, about 4% of average flow during
days with high runoff, and as much as 20% of average flow over the entire rainy season. While
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this is not much in comparison to the maximum flow, extra drainage capacity even before the
peak flow starts will reduce both the extent and duration of flooding. To quantify this effect, a
model study would be done.

If this channel is improved, also another stretch of channel about 3.5 km west from thePaper
Factory will need to be upgraded. This stretch is about 1.6 km long (see the blue line in the middle
of figure 2).

Figure 1: Drainage channel near the Valaichchenai Paper Factory

Figure 2: Overview map of the Maduru Oya between PunanaiAnicut and Valaichchenai

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4.4 Internal Drainage network (separate estimate need to be done)

The local networks of the drainages have been blocked by roadways & insufficient capacities of
road crossings. Those have to be studied deeply and all the drainages to be straightened along
with the road crossings of sufficient flow area to cater the flood.

Damaged Mylawaduwan access road 3M Rs Damaged Valliyaru Bridge (Irralakulam) 3M Rs

4.5 Internal Agricultural Road network (separate estimates need to be done)

The internal road networks have to be redesigned to cater the flood and as far as possible the
concrete road should be avoided in the local internal road network.

Damaged internal/ Agri culture road Damaged main roads

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4.6 Improvements of Minor Irrigation Tank (separate estimates need to be done)

According to farmers there are 48 minor irrigation tanks are available in all 41 villages in the
Irralakulam area. About 50% of those tanks are working tanks and the balance are breached &
abandoned. By improving all the Minor Irrigation tanks in that area the ground water table could
be recharged and most of the flood could be retained in those tanks. As a result the minor
irrigation tanks will be act as a flood retaining medium, ground water could be recharged and
drought could be mitigated. However the renovation of those minor tanks should be carried out
scientifically by considering present climatic changes & the flood pattern.

Situation before renovation in 2015 Jan Renovated Laavanai Spill by ZOA, 2016 Jan

4.7 Improvements of Thona (Drainages adjacent to Lagoon) (Estimated Rs.25.0M)

There are several natural local drainages closer to Batticaloa lagoon. By improving those
drainages the flood flow could be drained out easily and the flood could be controlled easily. In
this process all the obstruction & encroaches to be removed and all the channels to be reopened
to flow naturally to the sea without inundation by flood.
Special attention must be given for followings locations (in addition to recommendations in part
1 studies)

1. Prevent cleaning / cutting green belt (coastal protection trees) due to illegal land usage
2. Blocked main drainage channels (e.g.: 1st mile post at Eravur) must be identified and flood
water must be diverted through alternative paths

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 3. Widening causeways based on the water flow
4. Safety indicators or measurement must be displaced in identified risk locations

ThalawaiThona before 2015 Apr ThalawaiThonacleared 2015 Sep

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4.8 Amalgamation of Rugam – Kitulwewa Reservoirs (Rs.4500M estimated by Irrigation dept)

At present both Rugam & Kitulwewa reservoirs are very small and cannot take in the entire water
volume during flood time. By combining both reservoirs to one large reservoir with a large
capacity of 90 MCM 50% of the flood from the Mundenaiaru catchment could be cut down.

Source: Irrigation Department

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4.9 Amalgamation of VellandaChenai tank and Illukkupothanai tank (Estimated Rs.30M)

There are two minor tanks existing adjacently and those can be amalgamate in to a one larger
reservoir. By amalgamating these two minor tanks more water can be stored at the amalgamated
larger reservoir in that area that could be used during the dry season for either to the domestic
usage as well as for the agriculture during Yala period where as presently the cultivation in Yala
is questionable.

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