The following page lists most dams in Sri Lanka. Most of these dams are governed by the Mahaweli Authority, while the Ceylon Electricity Board operates dams used for hydroelectric power generation. Hydroelectric dams, including small hydros, account for nearly half of the installed power capacity of Sri Lanka.
Sri Lanka is pockmarked with many irrigation dams, with its water resource distributed across nearly the entirety of the island for agricultural purposes via artificial canals and streams. Utilization of hydro resources for agricultural production dates back to the pre-Colonial era, with the current crop production now largely dependent on these water resources.