Subproject 2 Clause Samples

Subproject 2. 4.1.1 Socio-economic Conditions along the Rantembe-Mahiyangana Line Topography & Soils: Mahiyangana-Minipe area lies at the eastern foothills of the Knuckles mountain range. Topographically, the region is characterised by the rugged terrain of the steeply descending Knuckles range that merges with the eastern lowlands. Lowland itself is occasionally interspersed with isolated hills to the south and east. The geology underlying the area is generally gneiss of Precambrian age. Overlying bedrock is generally red-yellow podsolic soil with soft or hard latarite, which is moderately resistant to erosion. Water Resources: Main sources of surface water found in the region are the Mahaweli River and its tributaries and several large irrigation reservoirs built during the times of ancient kingdoms. Although no hard data is available on the groundwater situation, it is reasonable to believe that the groundwater table remains high due to the existence of several large irrigation reservoirs. A seasonal variation could be expected in the water table following the rainfall regime.