The need for proper management leading to the sustainability of the Kelani River and its lower basin

Abstract

The Kelani River is the second largest watershed in Sri Lanka and the main water-supply intake point for the Greater Colombo. The present study focuses to identify the sources of pollutants of the meandering zone of the Kelani River, par-ticularly due to the absence of more recent information. Accordingly, a survey was conducted to obtain information on in-dustrial discharges, anthropological, and social activities within the area of 15 m from left and right banks of the river. The high contaminations (total and faecal coliform – 1100 MPN∙(100 cm3)–1; COD – 10 mg∙dm–3; BOD – 4 mg∙dm–3) of surface and groundwater are corroborated with the results obtained via the demographic and land usage statistics. Industrial pollu-tant sources and harmful anthropological practices were identified as major threats to the river basin. In this survey, agricul-ture and land degradation were identified as issues due to improper land use management. As policy recommendations based on the results of the study, it was identified that the awareness for Kelani River protection should be increased; moni-toring and evaluation of the Kelani River basin under a management plan should be implemented; and stakeholder and pri-vate partnerships contribution to the sustainability of the Kelani River basin should be established.