Mahaweli River

{{Infobox river | name = Mahaweli River | native_name = {{native name list |tag1=si|name1=මහවැලි ගඟ |tag2=ta|name2=மகாவலி ஆறு}} | name_other = | name_etymology = | image = Mahaweli River flowing through Thennakumbura.jpg | image_size = 280px | image_caption = Mahaweli River flowing through Thennakumbura | image_alt = | map = | map_size = | map_caption = Mahaweli river on the Srilankan Map | map_alt = | pushpin_map = | pushpin_map_size = | pushpin_map_caption= | pushpin_map_alt = | subdivision_type1 = Country | subdivision_name1 = Sri Lanka | subdivision_type2 = | subdivision_name2 = | subdivision_type3 = | subdivision_name3 = | subdivision_type4 = | subdivision_name4 = | subdivision_type5 = | subdivision_name5 = | length = {{Convert|335|km|mi|abbr=on}} | width_min = | width_avg = | width_max = | depth_min = | depth_avg = | depth_max = | discharge1_location= | discharge1_min = | discharge1_avg = | discharge1_max = | source1 = | source1_location = Horton Plains National Park<ref name="iwmi">{{cite web|url=http://dw.iwmi.org/wetland_profile/Horton.asp |title=Horton Plains National Park |publisher=International Water Management Institute |access-date=23 November 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100805010613/http://dw.iwmi.org/wetland_profile/Horton.asp |archive-date=August 5, 2010 }}</ref> | source1_coordinates= | source1_elevation = | mouth = Bay of Bengal | mouth_location = Trincomalee Bay | mouth_coordinates = {{Coord|08|27|34|N|81|13|46|E|display=inline,title|region:LK_type:river}} | mouth_elevation = | progression = | river_system = | basin_size = 10,448 km2 | basin_landmarks = | basin_population = | tributaries_left = Amban Ganga | tributaries_right = Kotmale Oya | waterbodies = | waterfalls = | bridges = | ports = | custom_label = | custom_data = | extra = }}

The '''Mahaweli River''' ({{langx|si|මහවැලි ගඟ}}, literally "Great Sandy River"; {{langx|ta|மகாவலி ஆறு}} [''mahawali gangai'']),<ref name=Room>{{cite book | last = Room | first = Adrian | title = Placenames of the World | publisher = McFarland & Company | date = 2001-05-01 | isbn = 0-7864-1814-1 }}</ref> is a {{convert|335|km|mi|0|abbr=off|adj=mid|-long}} river, ranking as the longest river in Sri Lanka. It has a drainage basin of {{convert|10448|km2|sqmi|0|abbr=on}}, the largest in the country, which covers almost one-fifth of the total area of the island.<ref name="FAO30092019">{{Cite web |title=Sri Lanka. Water Report 37, 2012 |url=http://www.fao.org/nr/water/aquastat/countries_regions/LKA/ |work=Aquastat |publisher=FAO |date=2012 |access-date=30 September 2019 |language=en |archive-date=14 April 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210414002214/http://www.fao.org/nr/water/aquastat/countries_regions/LKA/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> Though the Mahaweli Ganga originated beginning at Horton plains Kirigalpoththa, the namely starts at Polwathura (in the Mahawilla area), a remote village of Nuwara Eliya District in bank Nawalapitiya of Kandy District by further joining of Hatton Oya and Kotmale Oya. The river reaches the Bay of Bengal on the southwestern side of Trincomalee Bay. The bay includes the first of a number of submarine canyons, making Trincomalee one of the finest natural deep-sea harbours in the world.<ref name=Stoddart>{{cite book | last = Stoddart | first = David | title = Process and Form in Geomorphology | publisher = Routledge (UK) | date = 1996-12-26 | isbn = 0-415-10527-7 }}</ref>

As part of Mahaweli Development programme, the river and its tributaries are dammed at several locations to allow irrigation in the dry zone, with almost {{convert|1000|km2|sqmi|sigfig=2|abbr=on}} of land irrigated.<ref name=Barry>{{cite book | last = Barry | first = D. | title = Knowledge of the Land | publisher = Oxford University Press | date = 2001-06-07 | isbn = 0-19-829601-0 }}</ref> The production of hydroelectricity from six dams in the Mahaweli system supplies more than 40% of Sri Lanka's electricity needs. One of the many sources of the river is the Kotmale Oya.<ref>[http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/358033/Mahaweli-Ganga Mahaweli Ganga]</ref>

There is a misconception in Sri Lanka that the Mahaweli starts at Sri Pada Mountain. The Mahaweli gets its source waters from Horton Plains in Kirigalpoththa and the Thotupola mountain range.

== Tributaries == {{Div col|small=yes}} * Nanu Oya * Puna Oya * Pundalu Oya * Kotmale Oya * Hatton Oya * Atabage Oya * Nilamba Oya * Nanu Oya (Peradeniya) * Thalathu Oya * Hulu Ganga * Heen Ganga * Beli Ul Oya * Kirindi Oya * Loggal Oya * Uma Oya * Badulu Oya * Kalu Ganga (Tributary) * Amban Ganga * Gin Oya {{Div col end}}

== Starting of Mahaweli ==

The Mahaweli River starts from Polwathura/Mahavila area with its water source starting from the Horton Plains National Park.

==Gallery== <gallery mode="traditional" widths="225px" heights="225px" style="text-align:center"> File:Mahaweli_Ganga_by_Gampola.jpg|Mahaweli river flowing through Gampola File:Mahaweli river thennekumbura.jpg|Mahaweli river at Thennekumbura bridge File:Mahaweli River.JPG|Mahaveli River near university of Peradeniya File:Mahaweli River at sunken city of Teldeniya victoria reservoir sri lanka.JPG|Mahaweli River at sunken city of Teldeniya victoria reservoir sri lanka </gallery>

== References == {{Reflist}}

== External links == * [https://archive.today/20130409054742/http://www.esrilankans.com/page.do?id=95 Mahaweli River The Lifeline of Sri Lanka]

Category:Rivers of Sri Lanka