An Ancient Hydraulic Engineering Technology in Sri Lanka

The ancient water engineering technology stands out as a robust construction that underscores the excellence of Hela culture. Ancient societies endeavored to manage water for agricultural purposes in response to climate change, even predating civilization. While the early micro-water industry emerged for limited purposes, it is evident that later, expanded-purpose, and marine irrigation industries developed. The uniqueness lies in how the technology was manipulated to create a canal, serving the functions of a long river. This research aims to explore the water engineering technology of the Yodha Canal and its environmental balancing concepts. The research problem focuses on ascertaining the contribution of the geophysical environment to Yodha Canal water engineering techniques. In conducting the research, the study area served as the core area, spanning from Kala Lake to Tisawewa, with 3 miles on both sides as the left and right bank serving as the peripheral area. Geographical location information and formal survey methods were employed for data collection, while Geographic Information System and laboratory research methods facilitated data analysis. The research revealed sluices supplying water to the lakes on both sides of the Yodha Canal, silt control technology, groundwater conservation methods, bank technology, and water engineering technology. This can be identified as a unique irrigation engineering technology, aptly nicknamed a “long river.”