Pimburattewa lake
- Pimburattewa Lake is part of the ancient water landscape of the Polonnaruwa region, where reservoirs were created to capture and store seasonal rainfall.
- Its water belongs to a wider network of interconnected tanks, channels and smaller reservoirs that formed the foundation of ancient Sri Lanka's irrigation system.
- The lake demonstrates how the ancient kingdoms adapted to the long dry season by storing monsoon water for use months after the rains had ended.
- Water stored in the reservoir slowly supports the surrounding landscape, maintaining vegetation and small wetlands even when the surrounding dry zone becomes extremely dry.
- The shallow margins of the lake create transitional habitats between open water, marsh vegetation and dry-zone forest, supporting many different forms of wildlife.
- Aquatic plants and microorganisms form the base of a food chain that continues through fish, amphibians, reptiles and water birds.
- The changing water level is an important part of the ecosystem: during the dry season, exposed muddy margins become feeding areas for birds and other animals.
- The lake is therefore not simply a natural landscape, but part of a centuries-old relationship between water management, agriculture and wildlife in the dry zone of Sri Lanka.
- Pimburattewa offers a glimpse into the remarkable ancient idea that controlling water could create an entire living landscape – one that continues to support people and wildlife today.
