The Department of Irrigation says the 73 major reservoirs under its management are at 63% of total storage capacity, providing enough water for the ongoing Yala cultivation season, but has cautioned that the upcoming Maha season could be hit by a developing El Niño.
Director of the Water Management Unit P.S.D. Herath said sufficient water is available in the reservoirs for Yala and urged farmers to use irrigation supplies sparingly and efficiently. A decline in rainfall is expected in the coming weeks, the department said.
District-level reservoir storage levels released by the department put Kandy and Puttalam at 93%, Kurunegala at 86%, Anuradhapura at 81%, Mannar and Monaragala at 76%, Badulla at 74%, Galle at 72%, Polonnaruwa at 71%, Trincomalee at 68%, Matale at 49% and Ampara at 41%.
The cautionary tone aligns with a forecast issued earlier this week by the Department of Meteorology, which put the probability of an El Niño event in the coming months at more than 82% and warned of possible drought conditions through July and August. Acting Director General Ajith Wijemanna said international and domestic models point to a high likelihood of the phenomenon emerging, in line with United Nations meteorological agency forecasts for a probable El Niño between June and August.
The Maha season — Sri Lanka’s main paddy cultivation cycle, typically running from October through March — depends on north-east monsoon rainfall and is therefore particularly exposed to any El Niño-linked rainfall deficit later in the year. The Department of Irrigation’s call for prudent water use during Yala is intended to preserve carryover storage for the next planting cycle.
