It is a calm and beautiful man-made lake between the cracked areas of the Central Province of Sri Lanka and is truly the Kandalama Reservoir. It can be described as a reservoir created by long time kings to supply water for agriculture. Kandalama Wewa Reservoir was created by constructing a dam across the River Mirisgoniya Oya, a tributary of River Kala Oya. It was a popular tourist destination even during the British occupation of Ceylon in the 1800s.

The Kandalama Ancient Irrigation Reservoir, which expands the livelihood of farmers in the agricultural zone, is located at a distance of 8 km from the Golden Dambulla Cave Temple, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The reservoir is about 4.8 km (3.0 miles) long and 2.3 km (1.4 miles) wide. The catchment area is 102 km2 (39.4 sq mi) and the volume is 33,300,000 m3 (1.18 × 109 ft). The old wall of the dam itself is 21 meters (69 feet) high and 1,600 meters (5,200 feet) wide, making visitors wonder if it was built by giants. The reservoir has water throughout the year and provides irrigation to the Kekirawa area.

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Reconstruction of Kandalama Wewa Reservoir by the Irrigation Department of Sri Lanka from 1952 to 1957. Now a days Kandalama Wewa Reservoir is an integrated body of water from the Mahaweli Multipurpose Irrigation Scheme. Today, Kandalama is a testament to ancient architectural knowledge and promotes irrigation and the local fishing industry. Appreciated by many visitors, it is still one of the most beautiful reservoirs in the country.

Here are some other places to visit in Dabulla.

• Dambulla Int’l Cricket Stadium
• Ibbankatuwa, a proto-historic megalithic burial site
• Golden Dambulla Rock Cave temple