History Kotmale Reservoir
The Kotmale Reservoir, situated in the central highlands of Sri Lanka between the Tispane and Kadadora hills, is a breathtaking sight. It covers an area of 2,270 ha and submerged more than 14 tea estates, 57 villages, and about 54 ancient temples, including the ruins of Kadadora Vihara. The Kotmale Reservoir project was initiated as part of the Accelerated Mahaweli Development Programme to generate hydroelectric power for the national grid by damming the Kotmale Oya, one of the main tributaries of the Mahaweli River. The dam, which has a crest length of 520 meters and a height of 87 meters, regulates a volume of 174 million cubic meters of water at full capacity. The reservoir, impounded in November 1984, generates 206 megawatts of electricity. A magnificent bubble-shaped stupa, Mahaweli Seya, was built to compensate for the number of temples submerged by the reservoir. During droughts, the ruins of submerged temples and human settlements emerge, including those of Kadadora Vihara. Abo...
