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7/30/2019 Impact of Gem Mining in Kantale Reservior
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Impact of Gem Mining in Kantale Reservoirs Tank Bed
In Eastern Province, SRI LANKA
Concise report of the study
By
Eng. WLN Buddika, Bsc(Eng)
Irrigation Engineers Office
Irrigation Department
Kantale
November 2012
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Contents Page
1. Executive Summery..32. Introduction ...33. Location..44. Impacts of Gem mining on the tank bed..55. Summary of the damage on the ecosystems and biodiversity
due to gem mining...6
5.1 Vegetation ...6
5.2 Animals6
5.3 Ecosystem stability.6
5.4 Water quality...6
6. Conclusion .77. Recommendation ..8
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1.0Executive SummaryThis report summarizes the findings of the study conducted by Irrigation Engineers
Office, Kantale on behalf of the Irrigation Department, Sri Lanka on impact of Gem
mining in Kantale reservoirs Tank Bed on environment and ground water-body.
Soil is to being removed from the reservoir bed and hence Kantale reservoir is under
immense pressure.
2.0 Introduction
Sri Lanka has reasonable endowments of mineral resources. Gems have been the
most economically valuable resource accounting for more than 90% of all mineral
exports in Sri Lanka. Despite the relatively high economic and social benefits gem
mining cause significant environment damages.
All over the last few years Kantale area is being deemed as popular for Gems. But
now a day the case is finding gems in the vicinity of the Kantale Tank. According to
the past records there was several times at which found the gems in the tank bed.
However at the all situations Irrigation Department had taken suitable action with
the help of Police to ban the mining of the tank bed.
But again the fact arises with the gossip hanging around the Medias over Sri Lanka
in the day on 4th Nov. 2012 or some close to the date as some person finding with a
gem in the Kantale tank bed, so most of the people tend to find the Gem at the tank
bed.
While the situation is being, the National Gem and Jewelry Authority is awaiting for
auctioning the land near the bund of the tank, for gem mining.
However as the owner of this tank, it is Irrigation Departments responsibility to
make sure that this sudden mining in the tank bed could cause any effect to the dam
or the dependents under the tank.
This repot summarizes the studying of impact due to gem mining of the Kantale
reservoir bed.
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3.0 The Location
The Kantale Reservoir, owned by the Irrigation Department, is located south-west of
Trincomalee in Eastern province of Sri Lanka.
The tank of ancient origin controls a large catchment over more than 10,200ha by
bearing a capacity of 114,000 Acft of water. As well the tank is significant water
recourse for drinking. It facilitates for the people who are living in Trincomalee
District, Eastern Province.
The above Topo-Insert shows the Kantale reservoir & Vendrasan tank. This twin
tank is separated by the bund in between Kantale & vendrasan tanks calledConnecting bund which can be seen from left hand side to the Vendrasan tank and
right hand side to the Kantale reservoir in the map shown.
The founded gem location is close to this bund at the up-stream side and upper most
regions to the Kantale reservoir.
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4.0 Impacts of Gem mining on the tank bed
Soil erosion, deforestation, and pollution of water and soil often occur as a result of
gem mining. Deforestation results from clearing land to mine; erosion and
epidemic results from abandoned mining pits; and pollution is due mainly to
washing schist near streams and scattering debris from the schist into soils.
The dredging of reservoir or river beds for gems has several significant negative
impacts on the environment, like
i) Damage to natural vegetative cover, plantations and rice fields
ii) Degradation of the land and damage to stream and reservoirs banksiii) Health hazards to miners
iv) Destruction of fauna
v) Sedimentation and water pollution
The most immediate of which is the destruction of the natural watercourse by bank
erosion and over deepening of the riverbed (often resulting in concomitant shall
owing downstream). This has several knock on effects including enhancing the
effects of flooding during the monsoon by breaking down the bank and removing
vegetation, in particular mature trees, which help reduce the extent of flooding andmaintain the integrity of the reservoirs bank.
Such erosion of the reservoirs bank also makes it hazardous for the local community
to access what is in many instances the main supply of water for many domestic
activities.
The constant agitation of the tank bed with the resulting release of fine grained
particulate material into the tank can significantly reduce the quality and portability
of the water.
This contamination can also impact on the ecology of the flora and fauna of the
reservoir system by reducing the amount of light reaching the bed of the tank and by
obscuring and coating surfaces in the reservoir system. This can affect fisheries by
degrading the water and impacting on the invertebrate food supply for fish. Then
this has an obvious knock on effect on other fauna which use the tank as a food
supply.
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5.0 Summary of the damage on the ecosystems and biodiversity due to gem
mining
5.1 Vegetation
Uprooted plants, damaged to plant parts such as branches, loss of tree species,
disturbances to survival, habitat loss
5.2 Animals
loss of aquatic habitats (specially for fish), loss of fish species , decreased species
diversity due to loss of sensitive species, loss of spawning grounds for aquatic
species and reservoirs bank dwelling species, disturbances to food webs, habitat lossfor bank dwelling species such as aquatic birds, reptiles, amphibians
5.3 Ecosystem stability
Soil erosion, loss of fertile soil, bank instability and collapse, loss of protective
structures provided by trees, changes to topography due to temporary foot paths
and transportation network, obstacles to natural water causes.
5.4 Water quality
Pollution by sedimentation, silt loads, vehicular discharge, solid waste dumping byhumans, visible impairment of water quality, decreased dissolved oxygen
concentration.
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6.0 Conclusion
The Irrigation Department is mainly controlling and maintaining the large scale
tanks & reservoirs in Sri Lanka for the benefits of farmers and also by supplying
water for drinking. The department is a non-profitable institute which helps farmers
for their cultivation and well-being.
Kantale tank is a twin tank with Vendrasan tank which are separated by an earthen
dam called connecting bund. The most effect could be to the connecting bund due to
mining close to the bund toe level, as it caused to instability of the earthen banks by
developing seepages.
Due to this reason a huge amount of water can flow to the Vendrasan tank that
cannot bearable more than at least its full capacity because still Vendrasan dam is
under instability due to heavy seepages occurring even to date.
Apparently this caused damage the Vendrasan earthen dam and gets sever damages
to the humans living under downstream of the Vendrasan tank bund.
Further the Kantale reservoir is under catchment of 188.8 Sq.miles where there are so
many natural water courses. The mining can obstacle to the natural water causes andcan be get polluted. Furthermore some silt can flow through the water courses and
get deposited in the tank bed. This may cause to the amount water that can retain at
the tank maximum.
When the bed is going to excavate, it may arise the rate of percolation and
infiltration to the ground. Therefore it takes hundreds of years to stabilize the tank
bed to retain the water.
Normally this tank fills by the NE monsoon rains and cannot be expected as much
on the Mahaweli water. Therefore we have to keep as much as possible amount of
water for the use of Yala season with the drinking demand for the Trincomalee
district. So if the percolation rate will increase due to sudden mining, which may
cause to the availability of the water for the usage of Yala season. This originate a
sever problem to the farmers and their dependents in the Trincomalee district.
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7.0 Recommendations
When considered the above impacts on gem mining in the Kantale reservoir,
It may cause;
Severe damages to the connecting bund in between Kantale & Vendrasantanks
Impact to the ecology of the flora and fauna of the reservoir system. Reduce the quality and portability of the water. Sedimentation & water pollution Degradation of the land and damage to stream and reservoirs banks Destruction of the natural watercourses Fisheries under the tank Ecosystem stability
Therefore obviously, Irrigation Department does not agree with the National Gem
and Jewelry Authority or any other party interests with this for gem mining, due to
the above mentioned impacts can be caused.
Eng. WLN Buddika
Irrigation Engineer
Kantale