Bolgoda Lake

Bolgoda Lake or Bolgoda River (Sinhala: බොල්ගොඩ වැව, Tamil: போல்கோடா ஏரி) is a freshwater lake in the Western Province of Sri Lanka, straddling the border between Colombo District and Kalutara District. It consists of two main bodies of water, a Northern portion and a Southern portion, connected by a waterway called Bolgoda River. The lake drains into the sea at the estuary in Panadura.[3]

Bolgoda Lake
Bolgoda Lake
Bolgoda Lake
Location of Bolgoda Lake
Location of Bolgoda Lake
Bolgoda Lake
Location of Bolgoda Lake
Location
Coordinates6°46′16″N 79°54′27″E
Native name
  • බොල්ගොඩ වැව (Sinhala)
  • போல்கோடா ஏரி (Tamil)
Basin countries Sri Lanka
Surface area374 square kilometres (144 sq mi)[1]
Islands13[2]
SettlementsPanadura

Bolgoda Lake is part of Bolgoda Environmental Protection Area,[4] gazetted in December 2009 and consisting of 5 subdivisions:

  1. Bolgoda Ganga
  2. Bolgoda North Lake
  3. Bolgoda South Lake
  4. Panadura Ganga
  5. Weras Ganga

The lake is a popular location for watersports with the Ceylon Motor Yacht Club been located on the shores of the lake since 1936. The waterfront properties around the lake are owned by wealthy and notable individuals such as Mangala Samaraweera and Susanthika Jayasinghe.

Lake environment

Illegal constructions near the lake are a major emerging issue, with the Sri Lankan government claiming that 90% of constructions have not obtained the required environmental approval.[5] Pollution and irregular disposal of garbage are some other concerns facing the lake and its surroundings.[2] The Sri Lanka Navy and the Police are involved in efforts to protect the wetlands.[6]

  • A boat on Bolgoda Lake
    A boat on Bolgoda Lake
  • Bolgoda Lake captured through bamboo plants
    Bolgoda Lake captured through bamboo plants
  • Prawn Fishing on Bolgoda Lake
    Prawn Fishing on Bolgoda Lake

References
  1. "Bolgoda Lake – Sri Lanka". Global Nature Fund. Retrieved 25 October 2020.
  2. "Privatising paradise: Bolgoda's plight". Ceylon Today. Ceylon Newspapers (Pvt) Ltd. 20 October 2019. Retrieved 25 October 2020.
  3. "Bolgoda Lake's glamour fades". Ceylon Daily News. Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Ltd. 20 December 2019. Retrieved 25 October 2020.
  4. "Bolgoda Environmental Protection Area". Central Environmental Authority - Sri Lanka. Retrieved 25 October 2020.
  5. "Over 90% constructions around Bolgoda lake illegal - CEA". Ceylon Daily News. Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Ltd. 21 October 2020. Retrieved 25 October 2020.
  6. "War over Bolgoda Lake". Daily Mirror. Wijeya Newspapers Ltd. 1 October 2019. Retrieved 25 October 2020.
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