Articles | Volume 379
https://doi.org/10.5194/piahs-379-43-2018
https://doi.org/10.5194/piahs-379-43-2018
Pre-conference publication
 | 
05 Jun 2018
Pre-conference publication |  | 05 Jun 2018

Centralized versus distributed reservoirs: an investigation of their implications on environmental flows and sustainable water resources management

Nishadi Eriyagama, Vladimir Smakhtin, and Lakshika Udamulla

Cited articles

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Jayatillake, C. J., Sakthivadivel, R., Shinogi, Y., Makin, I., and Witharana, P.: A simple water balance modelling approach for determining water availability in an irrigation tank cascade system, J. Hydrol., 273, 81–102, 2003. 
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McCartney, M., Rebelo, L.-M., Xenarios, S., and Smakhtin, V.: Agricultural water storage in an era of climate change: assessing needs and effectiveness in Africa, IWMI Research Report 152, International Water Management Institute (IWMI), Colombo, Sri Lanka, 2013. 
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Short summary
Creation of surface storage often endanger the functions of natural ecosystems and ecosystem services. The issues of optimal size, placement and the number of reservoirs in a river basin, which maximizes sustainable benefits, while minimizing negative impacts on ecosystems remain subjects for debate. This study examines the above issues through the analysis of a range of reservoir configurations and environmental flow release scenarios in the Malwatu Oya river basin in Sri Lanka.