GROUNDWATER / RAINWATER CONDITIONS IN SRI LANKA

sandman

A REVIEW BY M.U.A.TENNAKOON Phd.DSc (H.C.) FROM THE ISLAND :

Groundwater rainwater conditions in Sri Lanka
Author Vidya Jyothi Dr. C.R.PANABOKKE
(Published by the National Science Foundation Vidya Mawatha, Colombo -07)

Reviewed by M.U.A.Tennakoon
P hD. DSc (H.C.).

This book of 12 Chapters with a bibliography provided for each Chapter, 11 Illustrations, 12 Tables and 6 valuable Appendices with a Glossary and Index is a scholarly investigation into the groundwater conditions in Sri Lanka.

Having shown the main characteristics of groundwater— its occurrence, movement, replenishment, storage (in aquifers), quality and quantity in brief to begin with, leaving the detail treatment of each aspect for the subsequent chapters, the author has exhaustively surveyed past annuls of literature / investigations undertaken by Water Resources Board (WRB), National Water Supply & Drainage Board (NWS&DB), other organizations and individual scholars, numbering 327 in all, bringing the whole subject in to a right research focus for the WRB and other research bodies to emulate.

He has then proceeded to elaborate geomorphic settings, form and content of main aquifer types – karstic aquifers, deep aquifers, regolith aquifers, deep fracture-zone aquifers, shallow coastal sand dune aquifers, alluvial aquifers and lateritic aquifers (Chapters 3 - 9)

Groundwater conditions and its utilization in the hard rock regions of the wet zone, in relation to land forms, present levels of utilization and potential threats to it are amplified in Chapter 10. This is followed by an account of "Springs in Sri Lanka" (Chapter 11)

Perhaps the most important is Chapter 12 - "An Approach Towards Sustainable Use of Groundwater", that has exhaustively dealt with the subject in terms of general conditions, threats to quality, over exploiting available quantity, and most importantly, the problems and prospects of sustainable use of groundwater for the human well-being both directly and indirectly.

Writers are seldom reader-friendly. This author is an exception in that regard. He has not only located the past writings on the subject but also tells the reader where those studies are kept for reference now. He also has categorized them systematically into several groups and having selected the essence of the most important studies, comments made with clarity and has lured the reader to read them very objectively. This is a rare wisdom of a scientific writer

This wisdom is best demonstrated in author’s dealing with the thematic papers presented at the Symposium on Groundwater in Sri Lanka held in 1988 with the provision of succinct abstracts of, and comments on, them.

Through out the study, the author has made an untiring effort to search and refer to all maps relevant to the study. He also has used simple diagrams in order to explain matters with clarity to the reader for which any reader has to be grateful.

Returning to the subject matter, it is to be said that this study provides the most authentic and scholarly discussions on all types of aquifers. (8 main types) with locations and distribution.. These includes aquifers in the Jaffna peninsula, those in the north-western and eastern littoral belts where groundwater is reasonably abundant and those ones in the interior hard-rock areas with requisite illustrations. Small tank-dotted cascades’ influence on limited groundwater aquifers in the dry zone too has not escaped the eagle-eye of the author.

The author has brought to the limelight the significance of coastal sand dunes as water-bearers (aquifers). He has brought together the available scientific knowledge and has stressed the importance of studying them further to unravel the still remaining mysteries associated with those stretching from Komari to Kalkudah in the eastern littoral belts which awaited development so long.

The account of the "Springs in Sri Lanka" presented in a less scientific vein, provides the most fascinating reading for the general reader and perhaps to the probable future health and recreational tourist industry investors.

Policy makers and policy implementers, more than any body else, should give serious consideration, to the alarm signals professionally relayed by the author on the overuse of groundwater and other threats to it in terms of quality deterioration and quantity reduction exceeding possible recharges. Please note that if the situation is allowed to remain unabated, unchecked, unidentified and uncontrolled, that the sustainability of the proper use of limited groundwater in favour of man and his total environmental will be in serious jeopardy.

I AM BRAINLESS, SO PLEASE EXCUSE ME !!!!!!