http://drr.vau.ac.lk/handle/123456789/237 Sun, 05 Apr 2026 18:45:16 GMT 2026-04-05T18:45:16Z http://drr.vau.ac.lk/handle/123456789/2002 IMPACTS OF BIOCHAR ON EROSION POTENTIAL OF SOIL IN SLOPE LAND Madhushani, K.G.S.; Nanthakumaran, A. The study was conducted to evaluate the soil erosion potential in the slope land incorporated with biochar produced by Pinus pinaster (Pinus), Eucalyptus tereticornis (Eucalyptus) and Camellia sinensis (Tea). This study was conducted in Kandy district between latitudes 7.2906 N, 80.6337 E during 27th of August to 20th of November, 2017. There were sixteen plots of land prepared with the plot size of 1.5 mx 2.0 mand each type of biochar made from pinus, eucalyptus and tea incorporated into the 5 cm top soilin each plotseparately. The Complete Randomized Design was used with four treatments such as soil with tea biochar, soil with eucalyptus biochar, soil with pinus biochar and the control with each of four replicates. At the bottom of these plots, a ditch was excavated and covered with polythene and collected the eroded soil once in two weeks after the incorporation of different biochar with soil. Duncan‟ s multiple range tests were carried out using SPSS 25.0. The estimated soil losses in the plots with tea biochar, pinus biochar, eucalyptus biochar and control were 98.81 g, 219.77 g, 218.96 g and 781.83 g respectively. There was a significant reduction in the rate of soil erosion in the plots with tea biochar as 2.74 gm-2week-1. Plots with pinus and with eucalyptus biochar had almost similar reduction in the soil erosion rate as 6.08 gm-2week-1 and 6.12 gm-2week-1 respectively while the erosion rate in the control plot recorded as 21.72 gm-2week-1. Hence, application of tea biochar as a soil amendment could be recommended to reduce the soil erosion significantly in slope land in the hilly area. Tue, 01 Jan 2019 00:00:00 GMT http://drr.vau.ac.lk/handle/123456789/2002 2019-01-01T00:00:00Z http://drr.vau.ac.lk/handle/123456789/1893 Economic status of rural households with rain water harvesting systems (A case study in Monaragala District) Sandamali, W.D.P.; Nanthakumaran, A. Water scarcity is one of the major problems particularly for the rural households in the dry zone of Sri Lanka. It is believed that Rain Water Harvesting (RWH) may be a solution for this problem. As a result the rural households were provided the RWH structures to collect and store the rain water. The objective of this study was to assess the economic benefit of rain water harvesting. Questionnaire survey was conducted among randomly selected forty five rural households at Siripuragama GN division in Monaragala district during September to December, 2014. The data of time taken for water collection during non-rainy season, usage of Rain water harvesting system (RWHS), quantity of harvested rain water and the income earned by cultivating crops using Rain water harvesting were collected from the respondents. The results revealed that the women saved 26 man days whereas the men 16 man days and the children saved 70 hours per annum by using RWHS. Further an income earned by cultivating crops using harvested rain water and the reduction in the charges for the electricity due to rain water harvesting were assessed and considered to be an additional income for the households due to RWH. Well water consumers who had RWHS saved SLRs. 30505 (US$ 227) while non ‘Samurdhi’ beneficiaries of pipe born water consumers saved the SLRs.13046 (US$ 97) and ‘Samurdhi’ beneficiaries of pipe born water consumers saved SLRs.12341 (US$ 92) per annum. Installation of RWHS not only improve the economic status of the rural households but also conserve the water resource, hence it could be a win solution to the society and the environment. Thu, 01 Jan 2015 00:00:00 GMT http://drr.vau.ac.lk/handle/123456789/1893 2015-01-01T00:00:00Z http://drr.vau.ac.lk/handle/123456789/1892 Relationship of Physico-chemical Properties of Water with Phytoplankton Abundance in Peraru Village Tank in Vavuniya District Samarawickrama, R.A.D.; Nanthakumaran, A.; Sivakumar, P. The village tank cascade system, predominantly found in the Vavuniya district, satisfies the water demand for agriculture and domestic needs considerably. Among them, the Peraru village tank lies in a cascade line in the Vavuniya district. The water resource of Peraru village reservoir is treated by the National Water Supply and Drainage Board, Vavuniya, and distributed to the local public. As Peraru a drinking water fountain, the study of phytoplankton and water quality is important. The study's objective was to identify the phytoplankton and estimate the abundance of phytoplankton in the Peraru village tank along with the Physico-chemical characteristics of water. A phytoplankton sampling was done by using plankton net at the selected three locations of Peraru village reservoir weekly from March to April 2021. Totally, 24 samples were analyzed during the study period. Simultaneously, water samples were also collected at each site to determine dissolved oxygen, electrical conductivity, pH, turbidity, temperature, nitrate, and phosphate concentrations. Identification of phytoplankton was made based on standard guides, and the abundances of phytoplankton were estimated using Sedgewick- rafter counting cells. The results of Physico- chemical parameters were statistically tested using ANOVA and found correlations between the abundance of phytoplankton and Physico-chemical parameters. Phylum Bacillariophyta and genus Aulacoseira were the dominant phylum and genus in the Peraru village tank. Dissolved Oxygen (DO), Electrical Conductivity (EC), nitrate, and phosphate positively influenced the abundance of phytoplankton in the Peraru village tank, while turbidity negatively affected the same. Mon, 01 Jan 2024 00:00:00 GMT http://drr.vau.ac.lk/handle/123456789/1892 2024-01-01T00:00:00Z http://drr.vau.ac.lk/handle/123456789/1891 Hydrological Interaction between Surface Water and Ground Water in Vavuniya District of Sri Lanka Tharani, G.; Nanthakumaran, A.; Karunainathan, T. Irrigation tanks are the only surface water resource in Vavuniya district. Households in this district are dependent on ground water sources to satisfy their domestic water needs. It has been experienced and reported by the households that the wells during the dry season especially during the months of June, July, and August became dry without water while there was little water in the irrigation tanks in this district. Hence, this study was carried out to understand the hydrological relationship between surface water and ground water. Three tanks namely Vavuniya tank, Pandarikulam tank and Paddanichchepuliyankulam tank were purposively selected as surface water source. 21 wells were selected from each Vavuniya tank and Padanichchepuliyankulam tank command area and 23 wells were selected from Pandarikulam tank command area as ground water source. The measurements of water level of tanks and wells were taken once in two weeks for six months from August 2013 to January 2014. The correlation coefficients of respective tank water levels Vs well water levels were estimated using Minitab 16 and found that the average correlation coefficient of the same of Vavuniya tank, Pandarikulam tank and Paddanichchepuliyankulam tanks were 0.88, 0.72 and 0.69 respectively. The strong positive correlation between the tank water level and well water level in the selected tanks confirmed that the increased tank water level would ensure the well water level. Any action taken towards tank maintenance and rehabilitation would ensure the sustainable water availability in the wells. Therefore maintaining sufficient water level in the tank would help to minimize water scarcity issues in Vavuniya. Thu, 01 Jan 2015 00:00:00 GMT http://drr.vau.ac.lk/handle/123456789/1891 2015-01-01T00:00:00Z