A seemingly endless body of water stretching to 6400 hectares restricted by a dam crest 150 meters tall, Maduru Oya reservoir is a majestic sight with a towering Buddha statue and a dry zone jungle rising in the background.

Constructed in 1981 under the accelerated Mahaweli Scheme Maduru Oya has a history of feeding many an irrigation project in the area even in the ancient times. King Mahasen had constructed Mahadaragalla Tank damming the Maduru Oya while the clearance of the jungle around for the construction revealed an ancient sluicegate estimated to have been built before the first century BC and the recorded history of the country.

Standing 23 meters high, Maduru Oya ancient sluice possesses some salient features compared to other sluices found in ancient irrigation including its twin inlet conduits dressed with stone slabs enclosed in corbelled arch shaped brickwork. The source of this sophisticated hydraulic engineering work is not known up to today but is generally believed to be of a civilization predating the arrival of King Vijaya from India.

Today Maduru Oya provides precious irrigation water to the area  lying along the left bank of the Maduru Oya River, has increased agricultural production, generates  employment opportunities, develop the hydropower potential, and had provided resettlements for landless poor estimated at about 35,000 families.

The animal population, especially the elephants   too benefits from the project with flocks gathering to the reservoir. A whole herd could be spotted scattered about in the distance, grazing quietly with their inherent lazy elegance. Nearly 150 elephants roam the Maduru Oya National Park, the catchment of the Maduru Oya reservoir.

 In the distance the NDK Reservoir could be spotted implying that once upon a time both these reservoirs would have stood as one and the valley then would have submerged. The best time to visit the reservoir is during the evening, when sunsets on the horizon, however accommodation in and around the reservoir is harder to find the available being more often over booked and overpriced.

Things To Do: Photography, sightseeing, elephant watching, hiking