Issues and challenges in Issues and challenges in river management river management

due to excessive sand miningdue to excessive sand mining-- in Sri Lankain Sri Lanka--

Eng Ms Eng Ms BadraBadra KamaladasaKamaladasaDeputy Director (Assets Management)Deputy Director (Assets Management)

Irrigation Department of Sri LankaIrrigation Department of Sri LankaColomboColombo

Sources of Sand Sources of Sand Main source: Main source: River sandRiver sand

Alternatives (1)•Dune sand•Offshore sand•Reservoir silt

Alternatives (2)

•Manufactured sand•Quarry dust

103 rivers103 riversLand areaLand area--62,525 sq km62,525 sq km

Rivers in Sri LankaRivers in Sri Lanka

Legally AllowedArtisanal sand miningCorporative societies of

artisanal sand minersOnly from River beds -

seasonally

Illegal mining during low flowIllegal mining during low flow

Increase of illegal sand mining Increase of illegal sand mining Machine usage for extractionMachine usage for extraction

river sides /Banksriver sides /Banksprevious riverbeds previous riverbeds

Issue ?Issue ?

Original River section (1980Original River section (1980’’s) s)

Almost no sand in riverAlmost no sand in river-- seasonal seasonal removal (early 1990removal (early 1990’’s)s)

Bed rock exposed. Bed rock exposed. River banks exploited. (late 1990River banks exploited. (late 1990’’s)s)

River banks/bed scoured River banks/bed scoured (2007)(2007)

Well Organised powerful groups

Sand Prices Sand Prices (Rupees per (Rupees per cube)cube)DuringDuring 19991999--2008 2008

01,0002,0003,0004,0005,0006,000

1999

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

Severely affected locations in rivers Severely affected locations in rivers across the country across the country

Impacts of uncontrolled sand Impacts of uncontrolled sand mining from riversmining from rivers

land degradation land degradation salinity intrusion along the riversalinity intrusion along the riverdamage to nationsdamage to nations’’ infrastructureinfrastructureexcessive coastal erosion excessive coastal erosion Damage to natural ecoDamage to natural eco--systemsystemincreased health hazardsincreased health hazards

Infrastructure subjected to Infrastructure subjected to damages damages

Irrigation intakesIrrigation intakesHighway bridgesHighway bridgesRail BridgesRail BridgesHighwaysHighwaysFlood protection leveesFlood protection leveesDomestic water supply intakesDomestic water supply intakesRiver flow measuring mechanismRiver flow measuring mechanismElectricity Transmission linesElectricity Transmission lines

KelaniKelani GangaGanga –– River flows close to River flows close to capital Colombocapital Colombo

Variation of Longitudinal Section of Variation of Longitudinal Section of KelaniKelaniriver river (from sea to 35 km upstream)(from sea to 35 km upstream)

1988 Vs 20051988 Vs 2005

Source: Hydrology Branch, Irrigation department

flood levee failure in flood levee failure in KelaniKelani riverriver--20072007(constructed in 1920(constructed in 1920’’s)s)

Source: Irrigation department

Sketch showing the cause of failure Sketch showing the cause of failure of the flood levee of the flood levee

Bridge Bridge CollapseCollapse

Galle Mahiyanganaya

Pier Exposure Pier Exposure

Bridges- First to go

Bank erosion at a highway Bank erosion at a highway bridge site bridge site and and costly river training costly river training attemptsattempts

Banks on either side of a barrage Banks on either side of a barrage in in near completionnear completion got washed awaygot washed away

Lowering the bed level of riverLowering the bed level of river--affected intake of a lift irrigation schemeaffected intake of a lift irrigation scheme

Bed level lowered by 2 m at this location

A stick dam across A stick dam across DeduruDeduru OyaOya (1200 years (1200 years old) washed away with bed erosion old) washed away with bed erosion

Electric Power Transmission line Electric Power Transmission line ––Located 50 m away from river bank Located 50 m away from river bank --30 years back30 years back

Irreversible negative impacts on Irreversible negative impacts on RiverineRiverine BiodiversityBiodiversity

Groundwater table lowering

Coastal ErosionCoastal ErosionClose to Close to DeduruDeduru OyaOya

RiverRiver2006 May

2007 May

2007 June

Social ImpactsSocial Impacts

Unrest among the land owners along Unrest among the land owners along the river banksthe river banksUnrest among those loose Unrest among those loose agricultural livelihood agricultural livelihood Creation of Creation of ““sand mafiasand mafia”” in rural in rural communitycommunityDisharmony among the two groupsDisharmony among the two groups

Intervention by Voluntary Intervention by Voluntary community Organizationscommunity Organizations

OnOn--going activitygoing activityPressure groups getting formedPressure groups getting formedDeduruDeduru OyaOya and and MahaMaha OyaOya civil civil society groupssociety groupsLeadership for community groups by Leadership for community groups by clergies clergies Women as front runners Women as front runners Developing partnership with Regional Developing partnership with Regional and National level activists and National level activists (formation of coalition)(formation of coalition)

Site visit for Journalists Site visit for Journalists of national mediaof national media

Awareness program Awareness program for Police and for Police and

government officers government officers

Coalition Group Coalition Group in discussionin discussion

Coalition Group Coalition Group meet govt officersmeet govt officers

Achievements Achievements Enhanced awareness of rural people Enhanced awareness of rural people on on legal and institutional frame worklegal and institutional frame work

Enhanced awareness of government Enhanced awareness of government officers officers effect on police vigilance effect on police vigilance -- increasing the increasing the number of arrests number of arrests for illegal mining and for illegal mining and transportation of sand transportation of sand

Banning of sand mining in some sections Banning of sand mining in some sections Pending court casesPending court casesBring the sand issue as a leading news Bring the sand issue as a leading news item in national mediaitem in national media

Thank YouThank You