Gal Oya Dam

The Gal Oya Dam (also known as Inginiyagala Dam) is an embankment dam in the Uva Province of Sri Lanka. The dam creates one of the largest 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 August 24, 1949, completing four years later in 1953.

Dam and reservoir
The dam is constructed between two hills at the small town of Inginiyagala, measuring 3600 ft and 140 ft in length and height respectively, consisting of 2000000 cuyd 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 (after D.S. Senanayake), has a total storage capacity of 770000 acre.ft and a surface area of 35 mi2.

Power station
In addition to downstream irrigation, water from the reservoir is used to power the Inginiyagala Power Station, a hydroelectric power station located immediately downstream of the dam. The power station consists of four units of (2.475MWx2 & 3.15MWx2)11.25 MW, commissioned in 1952 unit 1,2 & 1962 unit 3,4.