Optimizing Water Resource Management Using GIS: A Case Study of Telivarai Kulam Tank, Kilinochchi

The agricultural sector is one of the most critical components of Sri Lanka’s economy and development (ADB, 2007; Ranathunga, 2018, Thibbotuwana, 2021). Among the country’s seven provinces, the Northern Province contains significant agricultural land (Sivakumar, 2021; Deepakrishna Somasundaram, 2020). However, many of these lands remain underutilized or abandoned due to water scarcity and inadequate resource management (Tharani Gopalakrishnan, 2021, United Nations, 2011). This study focuses on the Telivaraikulam tank in the Kilinochchi District as a case study to explore the potential for optimizing agricultural land usage. The area surrounding the tank includes over 100 hectares of agricultural land, yet only 25 hectares are currently being cultivated, leaving most of the land abandoned. This research aims to investigate the underlying reasons for the underutilization of these lands and propose strategies to enhance their cultivation potential. Using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and satellite image analysis, the study identified the tank bund of Telivaraikulam, which is situated upstream of the catchment area. Although the estimated capacity of the tank is 35 hectares, the current agricultural activities are confined to only 25 hectares. To address this issue, the study proposes reconstructing the tank bund at a downstream location to optimize its design and maximize the benefits to the local community. Comprehensive field surveys, ground measurements, and satellite imagery were employed to generate an area-capacity curve and delineate the catchment area. The findings indicate that by redesigning the tank infrastructure, the cultivated area can be significantly expanded. The study concludes with recommendations for improving water resource management and enhancing agricultural productivity in the region, emphasizing the importance of innovative design and resource optimization in addressing challenges in the agricultural sector.