Waterfalls in Sri
Lanka
Makeli Falls-Kalutara district
The waterfall which is about 33 feet (10 metres) high flows down over
an almost vertical, hard rock bed about 40 feet (12 m) in breadth. It is
a wayside fall located very close to the Kukule Ganga, hydro-electricity
project which generates 70 Mega Watts per day, in the Kalutara district.
The Makeli Dola, a stream rising in Kalawana as a branch stream of
Kukule Ganga, after flowing through villages and mountains, eventually
joins the Kukule Ganga once again at Makeliya forming the Makeli Falls.
The waters of Kukule Ganga hydro-electricity project, Kulule Ganga
and Makeli Dola join at the same point and flow further to join Kalu
Ganga which flows into the Indian Ocean at Kalutara.
Kalupahana Falls - Kandy district
The Kalupahana Falls is situated in the Dumbara Jungles in the
Kalupahana Mountain in the Kandy District in the Central Province. It is
47ft (14m) high.
Many tiny Falls cascade like several strands of a necklace and it is
a sight to behold. The milieu of the fall comprising the Pygmy Jungle is
enshrouded in mist and darkness; aptly speaking 'Kalu pahana' means
Black Lantern in Sinhala. A lizard species known Dumbara Katussa is also
found here. Naturalized plants which include different varieties of
orchids provide ample pleasure to visitors. Spice varieties such as
cloves and nutmeg were introduced in the 1940's here.
These days the cultivation covers an extent of 4550 hectares, which
is 1/3 of the Knuckles Forest.
This area supplies about 45 percent of the islands spice output.
However, as an outcome of this, about 600 hectares of jungle had been
cleared resulting in the adverse impact on the rain cycle.
The depletion of the Water Table and the threat of drying up of
confined aquifers looms large. There is an outcry to spare this area
from the cultivation of nutmeg.
To get to the Falls there are two routes. One is from Matale -
Pannvila via Bambarella through Ratnagiriya. From there an eight km trek
through the Dumbara Jungles and the Falls could be seen to the right.
The other is coming to Illukumbura, 35 km from Matale via Pitawala,
Attanwala and Walpolamulla it is possible to reach the Fall. However,
the seven km track is through difficult terrain. |