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Conclusion

The integration of GIS technologies with environmental archaeology in the Kala Oya

Basin has unveiled a nuanced picture of ancient hydraulic ingenuity and ecological
fragility. The research establishes that:

• The Kala Oya Basin housed an expansive and functionally integrated water
management system.

• These systems adapted remarkably well to climatic variability through spatial
engineering and ecological buffers.

• Anthropogenic activities, particularly deforestation and land misuse, disrupted
these systems leading to decline.

Recommendations

1. Heritage Conservation: Priority should be given to protecting surviving
hydraulic structures as national heritage assets.

2. Watershed Restoration: Reforestation of critical catchment zones could
reduce siltation and enhance tank recovery.

3. Policy Integration: Historical hydraulic strategies should inform modern
water governance, particularly in dry zones.

4. Further Research: Long-term climatic reconstructions using palynology and

isotope studies could refine understanding of past hydro-climatic regimes.

In sum, the Kala Oya Basin offers a valuable case study in sustainable water
management—one that blends the wisdom of the past with the tools of the present to

secure a more resilient future.

Reference

Bandaranayake, S. (1990). The Settlement Archaeology of the Sigiriya-Dambulla
Region. Colombo: Postgraduate Institute of Archaeology.

Brohier, R. L. (1934). Ancient Irrigation Works in Ceylon. Colombo: Government
Press.

Gunawardena, R. (2010). 'Hydraulic Civilization in Ancient Sri Lanka: The Role of
the State', Sri Lanka Journal of Social Sciences, 33(1-2), pp. 23-39.

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