Your search found 7 records
1 Molden, O.; Griffin, N.; Meehan, K. 2016. The cultural dimensions of household water security: the case of Kathmandu’s stone spout systems. Water International, 41(7):982-997. (Special issue: Putting Practice into Policy). [doi: https://doi.org/10.1080/02508060.2016.1251677]
Water security ; Household consumption ; Domestic water ; Water supply ; Water use ; Water distribution systems ; Traditional technology ; Ancestral technology ; Cultural factors ; Water governance ; Political aspects ; Legislation ; State intervention ; Urban development ; Social institutions ; Communities / Nepal / Kathmandu / Lalitpur
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H047871)
(1.58 MB)
This article contributes knowledge to the under-studied cultural aspects of household water security through the case of Kathmandu’s ancient stone waterspouts. It asks why and how ‘traditional’ water supply systems persist as a form of water provision, and examines governance arrangements that pose challenges to these systems. It demonstrates that spout systems are critical sources of secure water supply, particularly for underserved populations. Also, the religious, cultural and social significance of spouts enables community autonomy and facilitates their persistence. However, conflicts between cultural heritage and drinking water law and policy undermine spout revitalization efforts and the entire system’s integrity.
2 Fernando, S. (Ed.); Nadaraja, L. (Photographer). 2016. Sri Lanka: a heritage of water. [s.l.]: Author. 227p.
Water resources ; Watersheds ; Water quality ; Water use ; Hydraulic structures ; Cultural development ; Heritability ; History ; Ancestral technology ; Building construction ; Social groups ; Religion ; Women's participation ; Administrative areas ; Government policy ; Climate change ; River basins ; Seas ; Islands ; Nature reserves ; Forest cover ; Land use ; Lagoons ; Aquatic mammals ; Otters ; Crocodiles ; Waterfowl ; Habitats ; Biodiversity ; Aquatic plants / Jaffna / Kanneliya / Dediyagala / Nakiadeniya / Mahaweli River / Upper Mahaweli Catchment
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: 333.91 G744 FER Record No: H047921)
(1.07 MB)
3 Kamaladasa, B. 2007. Irrigation development in Sri Lanka. Centenary Commemoration Publication 1906-2006. Colombo, Sri Lanka: The Institution of Engineers. 243p.
Irrigation engineering ; Irrigation management ; Irrigation operation ; Irrigation practices ; Ancestral technology ; Infrastructure ; Technological changes ; Flood irrigation ; Flood control ; Dams ; Rivers ; Drainage ; Waterway transport ; Irrigated farming ; Diversification ; Engineering ; Construction ; Land development (urbanization) ; Development plans ; River basin development ; Cultivation ; Colonialism ; State intervention ; Rural communities ; Villages ; Economic aspects / Sri Lanka
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: 627.52 G744 KAM Record No: H047933)
4 Wijekoon, W. M. S. M.; Gunawardena, E. R. N.; Aheeyar, Mohamed M. M. 2016. Institutional reforms in minor (village tank) irrigation sector of Sri Lanka towards sustainable development. In Sri Lanka. University of Peradeniya. 7th International Conference on Sustainable Built Environment. Proceedings of the Sessions on Recycling Waste Management and Sustainable Water Management, Kandy, Sri Lanka, 16-18 December 2016. Peradeniya, Sri Lanka: University of Peradeniya. pp.75-83.
Institutional reform ; Villages ; Tank irrigation ; Sustainable development ; Small scale systems ; Ancestral technology ; Irrigation systems ; Irrigation management ; Irrigation water ; Stakeholders ; Authority ; State intervention ; Community management ; Cultivation / Sri Lanka
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H048030)
This paper reviews the institutional reforms taken place in minor irrigation systems in Sri Lanka by contrasting those observed during pre-colonial and colonial periods with those after the independence. Formal or informal institutions have governed the operation and performance of the minor irrigation systems with continuous change of authority. While the earlier reforms focused on the irrigation sector with quicker benefits and lower political risks, recent reforms have covered macro institutions, where the benefits are gradual with high political risks. In ancient irrigation system management, decision making and implementation were taken by communities themselves under the feudal system of “Rajakariya” ensuring sustainability and maintaining village ecosystem. With the abolishing of “Rajakariya” system after the arrival of British rulers, the authority was shifted from the community to the government along with the trend of irrigation system management towards centralization and bureaucracy. After independence, though the minor irrigation system management was the responsibility of beneficiary farmers, the authority of the systems was continuously changed between different government agencies. Now, minor irrigation systems are governed by the Department of Agrarian Development and/ or Provincial councils towards sustainability goals while emphasizing the different stakeholder involvement through enforcement of formal and informal rules and procedures. The government continues the commitment to reform because it provides evidence for the political and economic stability, tactical benefits, timely consideration of stakeholders’ perception and information towards the required change.
5 Abeywardana, N.; Pitawala, H. M. T. G. A.; Schutt, B.; Bebermeier, W. 2019. Evolution of the dry zone water harvesting and management systems in Sri Lanka during the Anuradhapura Kingdom: a study based on ancient chronicles and lithic inscriptions. Water History, 11(1-2):75-103. [doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12685-019-00230-7]
Water management ; Water harvesting ; Arid zones ; Irrigation systems ; Large scale systems ; Ancestral technology ; Canals ; Tanks ; Rivers ; Sustainability ; Grants ; History ; Archaeology / Sri Lanka / Anuradhapura
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H049761)
https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s12685-019-00230-7.pdf
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H049761.pdf
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H049761.pdf
(3.06 MB) (3.06 MB)
A significant number of written sources report on the development of ancient dry zone water harvesting and water management systems in Sri Lanka. This paper attempts to address the lack of a systematic assessment of the information given by sources on the spatial–temporal development of the system, using methods of source criticism. After the removal of double entries, 255 text passages containing 837 different records on ancient irrigation were compiled as a database for the period from the fifth century BCE to the tenth century CE. The majority of the 625 analyzed records were derived from inscriptions, 212 records originated from chronicles. Geocoding was successfully performed for 40 records. It was possible to link 173 text passages to a specific king’s reign. Altogether 362 records (43.2%) mention a tank or its construction. The categories “grants of irrigation” and “irrigation incomes” are represented with 276 records (33%) and 75 records (9%). Records on canals and irrigation management occur with a share of 8.2% and 6.2%, equaling 69 and 52 records. The spatial distribution of records in general largely corresponds to the extent of the Dry Zone and northern intermediate zone. With 490 records, Anuradhapura district shows the highest density of information on the ancient water harvesting and management system. The analyzed data are not equally distributed throughout the investigated period and show a distinct peak in the second century CE. In conclusion, the conducted analysis documents the potential of the analyzed source genres for the derivation of information on different aspects related to the spatial, temporal and administrative development of the ancient water management system in Sri Lanka.
6 Boccaletti, G. 2021. Water: a biography. New York, NY, USA: Pantheon Books. 378p.
Water availability ; History ; Political aspects ; Democracy ; Industrialization ; Rivers ; Ancestral technology ; Infrastructure ; Dams ; Flooding ; Conflicts
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: 333.911 G000 BOC Record No: H050866)
(0.09 MB)
7 Timsina, J.; Weerahewa, J. 2023. Restoring ancient irrigation systems for sustainable agro-ecosystems development: reflections on the special issue. Agricultural Systems, 209:103668. [doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agsy.2023.103668]
Restoration ; Ancestral technology ; Irrigation systems ; Agroecosystems ; Ecosystem services ; Sustainability ; Villages ; Tanks ; Degradation ; Local communities ; Rainwater harvesting ; Irrigation water ; Watersheds ; Water management ; Livelihoods ; Land use / Sri Lanka / Mahakanumulla Tank
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H051948)
(3.72 MB)
Humans have relied on agriculture to feed their communities for thousands of years. Irrigation is practiced in many different forms over the years in countries all over the world. Although modern irrigation systems have been developed, and are in use in many countries, ancient irrigation systems (AISs) have also played a major role in sustaining food production, especially in smallholder farming in least developed and developing countries. The editorial team of Agricultural Systems put out a call for a special issue on restoring AISs for sustainable agro-ecosystems development to capture ancient marvels of traditional irrigation technology across the world.
The objectives of this special issue were to: (i) understand and analyse the hydrological and socio-economic networks anchored by AISs; (ii) explain the nature and sustainability of management of these systems in relation to local agro-ecosystems; (iii) analyse the implications of the AISs for land, soil and water quality, and agro-ecosystem services; (iv) qualitative and quantitative analysis of AISs, including bio-physical and bio-economic modelling of these systems; and (v) assess the feasibility of alternative technological, institutional and management strategies to enhance the productivity, profitability, and environmental sustainability of the systems. The overall goal of the special issue was to develop a useful repository for this information as well as to use the journal's international reach to share this information with the agricultural systems research community and journal readership. This paper provides reflections of papers published in the special issue.
The special issue resulted in twelve high quality original research articles and one review article from Asia, Africa and Europe. The findings from various papers revealed that the AISs have been degraded due to human interventions or the anthropogenic activities across the world. Various papers emphasized that as a corrective measure, there is a need for developing and implementing rehabilitation projects in these systems. Authors identified that appropriate policy interventions by the relevant authorities would be a major step towards such rehabilitation process. However, resetting the ecosystem structure of the AISs strictly towards their historical manifestation is neither required nor feasible in the present context as it would contradict the expectations of stakeholders from these systems.
The knowledge generated through the special issue provides evidence-based information on various aspects of AISs. It helps aware governments, private sectors and development agencies for improved policy planning and decision making and for prioritizing the restoration, rehabilitation, and management of various AISs around the world.
The objectives of this special issue were to: (i) understand and analyse the hydrological and socio-economic networks anchored by AISs; (ii) explain the nature and sustainability of management of these systems in relation to local agro-ecosystems; (iii) analyse the implications of the AISs for land, soil and water quality, and agro-ecosystem services; (iv) qualitative and quantitative analysis of AISs, including bio-physical and bio-economic modelling of these systems; and (v) assess the feasibility of alternative technological, institutional and management strategies to enhance the productivity, profitability, and environmental sustainability of the systems. The overall goal of the special issue was to develop a useful repository for this information as well as to use the journal's international reach to share this information with the agricultural systems research community and journal readership. This paper provides reflections of papers published in the special issue.
The special issue resulted in twelve high quality original research articles and one review article from Asia, Africa and Europe. The findings from various papers revealed that the AISs have been degraded due to human interventions or the anthropogenic activities across the world. Various papers emphasized that as a corrective measure, there is a need for developing and implementing rehabilitation projects in these systems. Authors identified that appropriate policy interventions by the relevant authorities would be a major step towards such rehabilitation process. However, resetting the ecosystem structure of the AISs strictly towards their historical manifestation is neither required nor feasible in the present context as it would contradict the expectations of stakeholders from these systems.
The knowledge generated through the special issue provides evidence-based information on various aspects of AISs. It helps aware governments, private sectors and development agencies for improved policy planning and decision making and for prioritizing the restoration, rehabilitation, and management of various AISs around the world.
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