Hill-country reservoirs spill as heavy rain continues

The Vimalasurendra reservoir at Norton Bridge has reached full capacity and has been spilling since last evening after continuous heavy rain in the central highlands.

The Ceylon Electricity Board said the spill had pushed the Kelani river's level slightly higher, while the Castlereagh and Maussakelle reservoirs were also nearing spill level.

With reservoirs full, the Canyon, Laxapana, New Laxapana, Polpitiya and Vimalasurendra hydro power stations were all generating at maximum capacity.

The catchment areas recorded 27.5 millimetres of rain on the 8th. Residents downstream and motorists in the area have been advised to remain alert as rain continues.

Spilling is a routine safety measure once a reservoir passes its full supply level, but officials watch downstream river levels closely when several hill-country reservoirs fill at the same time, since combined releases can raise water levels quickly along the Kelani and its tributaries.

The hill-country cascade of reservoirs feeds a large share of Sri Lanka's hydroelectric generation, and sustained rain in the central highlands typically lifts both reservoir levels and power output.