Characterisation of the Rota Wewa tank cascade system in the vicinity of Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka

Ancient Sri Lankan tank cascade systems, such as the Rota Wewa near Anuradhapura, demonstrate sophisticated watershed management strategies from 5th century BC to 11th century AD. These systems, designed for flood prevention, soil erosion control, and water storage, reveal challenges in reconstructing sediment and water fluxes due to shallow tank structures prone to redeposition during wet seasons and agricultural use in dry periods. Sedimentological analyses distinguish between weathered bedrock and overlying sediments but struggle to differentiate between wewa deposits and underlying fluvial deposits, highlighting the complexity of human-environment interactions in these ancient systems.

Schütt, B., Bebermeier, W., Meister, J., & Withanachchi, C. R. (2013). Characterisation of the Rota Wewa tank cascade system in the vicinity of Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka. DIE ERDE – Journal of the Geographical Society of Berlin, 144(1), 51–68. https://doi.org/10.12854/ERDE-144-4