Abstract:
Ma Oya has become one of the most water stressed rivers in the wet zone of the island.
Excessive sand mining is said to have threatened the river bathymetry as well as the
downstream riparian environment. Reduction of the water level in the river, lowering the
groundwater table in the associated catchment, reductions of the dry weather flows are
of the water problems faced by Ma Oya. Conventional type of administration in a
sector wise resource use and management needs to be changed to an integrated resource
management system to ensure sustainable management of these valuable resources in the
future. A sound integrated water resource management for the Ma Oya, together with a
adequate stakeholder participation is felt as a way of managing the Ma Oya river in a
sustainable manner.
