Maha Oya

Maha Oya
Maha Oya passes Pinnawala elephant orphanage area
Maha Oya is located in Sri Lanka
Maha Oya
Physical characteristics
Source 
 • locationNawalapitiya, Aranayake
Mouth 
 • location
Kochchikade, Negombo
 • coordinates
07°16′21″N 79°50′34″E / 7.27250°N 79.84278°E / 7.27250; 79.84278
 • elevation
Sea level
Length134 km (83 mi)
Basin features
WaterfallsAsupini Ella
BridgesMawanella Bridge

The Maha Oya (Sinhala: මහ ඔය, lit.'Great River') is a major watercourse in the Sabaragamuwa Province of Sri Lanka. It measures approximately 134 km (83 mi) in length.[1] It runs across four provinces and five districts. The Maha Oya has 14 water supply networks to serve the need of water and more than 1 million people live by the river.[2]

Its catchment area receives approximately 3,644 million cubic metres of rain per year, and approximately 34 percent of the water reaches the sea. It has a catchment area of 1,510 square kilometres.[3]

  1. ^ Yassin Mohammed, Essam (2013). Economic Incentives for Marine and Coastal Conservation: Prospects, Challenges and Policy Implications. Routledge. p. 296. ISBN 978-1-135-00663-1.
  2. ^ "Maha Oya Sand Mining To Affect Millions". Archived from the original on 20 July 2016. Retrieved 17 October 2016.
  3. ^ "Sri Lanka: Rivers". FAO. Retrieved 12 October 2016.