The document discusses the importance of forests for watershed management and water resources in Sri Lanka. It explains how forests help with precipitation, percolation of rainwater into soil, and condensation. It notes that declining forest cover has negatively impacted watershed productivity and water quantity/quality. The document also describes experiments establishing "analog forests" to restore degraded watersheds and increase water flows.

1. Fresh Water, the basis for life…. The people of Sri Lanka obtain water for drinking, sanitation, agriculture and recreation from rivers, streams, wewas, wells and springs.

2. Surface Accumulation of Water Rivers, streams and wewas are fed through the surface accumulation of water by way of precipitation in the form of rainfall, mist, fog, or hailstones.

7. Some examples of our efforts…… The analog forest growing in the Upper Mahaweli Watershed in Mirahawatte

8. What is significant was that the establishment of over 60% shade in the analog forest in Mirahawatte and the increase in leaf litter has led to a greater accumulation of surface water. This has led to a dramatic return of perennial water flows in the streams found on the land.

9. Land Use In the Hulu Ganga micro watershed In terms of land use, this watershed has three monocultures of tea, Pinus and Eucalyptus. Almost no natural forest exists in the micro watershed. Land Use map of Hulu Ganga Intake

10. More than 15,000 consumers in Kundalase are supplied with drinking water from the Hulu Ganga Intake. In 1987-1988, the water quality analysis in Huluganga showed an average turbidity of less than 20 FTU ( Formazine Turbidity Units). In 2000, the turbidity of the raw water has increased by large amounts to more than 400 FTU. The treatment plant is shut down for several days during rainy days, because it could not take the high turbidity without initial settling and hence no water is distributed to consumers in Kundasale. Pinus plantation causes high silt load

11. Farmer Kalpage’s garden is located just above the river reservation in Hulu Ganga. His once abandoned garden has now been converted into a productive analog forest garden with numerous tree crops interspersed with vegetables grown organically. Within the first six months, his income levels increased dramatically. From just 2 beds of tomatoes he earned Rs.8,000.00! Kalpage’s garden in Hulu Ganga