Browsing by Author "Udagedara, U.S.C."

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Potential to enhance the extent of paddy cultivation using domestic and municipal waste water harvesting - a case study from the dry zone of Sri Lanka
(Applied Irrigation Science (Zeitschrift f�r Bew?sserungswirtschaft), 2009) Najim, M.M.M.; Udagedara, U.S.C.
Paddy cultivation is constrained due to shortage of rainfall or irrigation water supply. With the population growth, farmers have to increase the paddy production to meet the existing as well as future demand with the same or less land cultivated at the present. Wastewater from domestic and municipal sources which are harmless and that can be harvested can be diverted to irrigate paddy fields thereby increasing the extent of land under paddy. A study was conducted in selected Divisional secretariat divisions from Puttalam District, Sri Lanka in order to explore the potential increment of land that can be brought under paddy cultivation with the utilization of municipal and domestic wastewater. The wastewater generation was estimated based on the population and water consumption data. The extent of paddy land under minor irrigation and rainfed agriculture, potential asweddumized extent, land area cultivated in Maha (main) season and Yala (off) season and the areas harvested were collected from district agriculture department. It is noted that all the available lands were not cultivated and not harvested in both Maha and Yala seasons. Lands left without any production is high in the Yala season compared to the Maha season. Only a part of the land area is harvested from the total area sown. One of the major reasons for crop failure is shortage of supplementary irrigation water, inadequate rainfall and irrigation water. About 22% of the uncultivated lands in Maha can be brought under cultivation if 55% of the gray water generated is collected and diverted to irrigate paddy fields. In Yala season, only very small portion of uncultivated land (5% of uncultivated land) can be brought under cultivation with the gray water irrigation.
Potential to Increase the Area under Paddy Cultivation with Domestic and Municipal Wastewater Irrigation in Kurunegala District
(2010) Udagedara, U.S.C.; Najim, M.M.M.
Use of domestic wastewater for agriculture was a traditional practice in Sri Lanka where leafy vegetables and medicinal plants were cultivated in backyards. The use of domestic and municipal wastewater could be an environmentally sound means of wastewater disposal and could reduce environmental pollution if utilized for paddy irrigation. This practice could also help to increase the economic productivity of the water and land. Therefore a study was conducted in selected Divisional Secretariat Divisions in Kurunegala District in order to explore the potential for land to be brought under paddy cultivation with the utilization of municipal and domestic wastewater. The quantity of wastewater generated was estimated based on the population and water consumption data. Data on the extent of paddy land under minor irrigation and rain-fed agriculture, potential cultivable land extent (known as asweddumized area), land area cultivated in maha (wet) and yala (dry) seasons, and the areas harvested were collected from the District Agriculture Department. It is noted that not all the available lands were cultivated and harvested in both the maha and yala seasons. The area of land that is not used for any crop production is higher in the yala season than in the maha season. In addition, only a part of the land area is harvested from the total area sown. Major reasons for crop failure are inadequate rainfall and shortage of supplementary irrigation water. The difference between the cultivable(asweddumized) extent and harvested extent shows the land that can potentially be brought under irrigation using municipal and domestic wastewater. The amount of land that can be so irrigated is much higher closer to the city where the storm water and other forms of wastewater are drained through common canal systems. Depending on the quantity and quality, and the availability of fresh irrigation water, municipal wastewater can be either diluted with irrigation water to meet the total irrigation water requirement, or can be used without any dilution. In addition to the increment of the land area under cultivation, there is a possibility of increasing the cropping intensity.
Water based disease incident due to inadequate access to sanitation and water supply in four PHI areas in Mawanella, Sri Lnaka
(The Environ Monitor, 2009) Udagedara, U.S.C.; Najim, M.M.M.
Water Supply, Sanitation and Water Based Disease Incidents in Four PHI Areas from the Intermediate Zone of Kurunegala District
(Symposium proceedings of the Water Professional?s Day, 2008) Ranasingha, R.A.T.C.S.; Najim, M.M.M.; Ranundeniya, R.M.N.S.; Udagedara, U.S.C.