Yodha Ela

Yoda Ela (Giant Canal) or Jaya Ganga, an 87 km (54 mi) long single banking water canal carrying excess water from Thisa wawa reservoir to Kala wawa reservoir in Anuradhapura. The Yodha Ela is known for achieving a rather low gradient for its time. The gradient is about 10 centimetres per kilometre or 6 inches per mile.[1][2][3]

Yodha Ela
The Bisokotuwa of Kala wewa passes water through its Sorowwa where Yodha Ela starts.
Specifications
Length87 km (54 miles)
History
Date completed459 AD
Geography
Start pointKala Wewa
End pointTissa Wewa

Construction

Yodha Ela was constructed during King Dathusena's reign in 459 AD. It is 87 km (54 mi) long.[4] It is a trans-basin diversion canal transferring water from Kala Oya Basin to Malwathu Oya Basin, but because of the mild slope to which it had been constructed. Its mild-gradient had been found to be of the order of 0.32 m (1.0 ft) drop along 1.61 km (1.00 mi). Even with the modern day survey equipment achieve the said accuracy.[5]

Functions

Yodha Ela functions in a way of a moving reservoir because of its single banking aspect which is different from the present day double banking irrigation canals'. It feeds water in an area of 470 km2 (180 sq mi) feeding 4,630 ha (11,400 acres) of paddy lands and 120 small tanks on its way from Kala Wewa to Tissa Wewa[6]

See also

References
  1. "Yoda Ela – An Ancient Engineering Marvel".
  2. "Kala Wewa and the Aukana Buddha Statue".
  3. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/305784654_From_the_Editor_Vol423
  4. "Ancient Irrigation".
  5. "Yodha Ela of Ancient Sri Lanka".
  6. Outlines of Ceylon History.

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