Gal Oya Dam


The Gal Oya Dam is an embankment dam in the Uva Province of Sri Lanka. The dam creates one of the largest and most iconic reservoirs in the country, the Gal Oya Reservoir. Water from the reservoir is used primarily for irrigation in the Uva and Eastern provinces, in addition to powering a small hydroelectric power station. Construction of the dam and reservoir began in, completing four years later in.

Dam and reservoir

The dam is constructed between two hills at the small town of Inginiyagala, measuring and in length and height respectively, consisting of of soil. The dam, built by Morrison-Knudsen company, creates the Gal Oya Reservoir.
The reservoir, also known as the Inginiyagala Reservoir, and more commonly as the Senanayake Samudraya, has a total storage of and a surface area of.

Power station

In addition to downstream irrigation, water from the reservoir is used to power the, a hydroelectric power station located immediately downstream of the dam. The power station consists of four units of, commissioned in 1952 unit 1,2 & 1962 unit 3,4.