Vision
To optimize the returns of the water resources so as to ensure sustainable economic and social development while safeguarding the environment of the country, following the words of the King Parakramabahu the Great of “Not allowing a single drop of water falling from this sky to sea without serving the eco system and mankind.”
Mission
To harness, develop, conserve, regulate, allocate and manage water resources in the country to secure & enhance the returns it produces, directly in the sphere of agriculture and indirectly in other spheres such as environmental, domestic, industrial and power in collaboration with other organizations.
Objectives
The main objectives of the Irrigation Department are as follows;
- Development of land and water resources for irrigated agriculture, hydro power, flood control, domestic usage, industrial usage and aquaculture development, while assuring environmental sustainability.
- Provision of lift irrigation, irrigation drainage and salinity extrusion facilities for cultivable lands in Irrigation and Drainage Projects.
- Facilitation for drinking water.
- Flood protection and drainage facilities to lands affected by floods.
- Alleviation of poverty of the rural farming community by increasing their farm income and raising their standard of living.
- Management of Water economically for sustainable agriculture and other uses.
- Productivity enhancement of land and water in major / medium / inter-provincial minor irrigation schemes.
- Integrated water resources management and participatory management in major / medium, inter provincial minor and micro irrigation systems.
- Integrated water resources management and participatory management in river basins assigned to ID
Functions
- Preparation of Master Plan for development of the different river basins for the optimum utilization of land and water resources giving priority to the environmental factors.
- Collection, development and management of historical data base for water resources and flood management of the country.
- Project formulation and detailed designs of irrigation, hydro-power, flood control and reclamation Projects.
- Construction of irrigation and settlement projects for the conservation, diversion and distribution of water under gravity and lift Irrigation to new and existing land for cultivation by farmers for enhanced food crop production and to upgrade their living conditions.
- Construction of drainage, flood protection and salt water extrusion projects for the protection of cultivable land to enable the cultivation of such lands with rainfall for food crop production with minimized risk.
- Providing drainage and flood protection facilities to minimize or mitigate the damages caused by floods.
- Operation, maintenance, improvements, rehabilitation and water management of medium and major irrigation schemes. Drainage and flood protection scheme and salt water extrusion schemes for optimum productivity ensuring the participation of beneficiaries. Catering of water for inter sectorial use, domestic, industrial use and environmental requirements.
- Maintaining and upgrading the water infrastructure including dams and head works of the system
- Research in Hydraulics, Hydrology, Soil Mechanics, Engineering Geology, Geographic Information System (GIS), Engineering Materials and Land Use as applied to Water Resources Development Projects.
- Human resources development for optimum utilization of human resources in irrigation sector.
- Operation and maintenance of financial management system, accounting, reporting and auditing of systems of irrigation department in accordance with the financial regulation of the government of Sri Lanka.
- Providing consultancy Services to government department, statutory boards/corporation, public and private institutions and individuals; in the fields of Water Resources Development; Foundation Engineering; Quality Control of Earthwork and Concrete; Hydraulic Model Testing and Land Use Planning.
- Issuing Irrigation Department clearance, whenever necessary for the projects handled by the other government institutes and private sector such as highways, Mini hydro power, industrial and land filling, hotel resort and drinking water projects, etc.