Malwathu Oya

With a length of 164 kilometers (102 miles), the Malwathu Oya is one of the longest rivers in Sri Lanka. The river begins in Sri Lanka's North Central Province and flows into the Gulf of Mannar near Vankalai on the northwest coast. It is a seasonal river that runs for 164 kilometers through paddy and forest fields that the locals rely on to survive.

The river basin is 3,284 km2 (1,268 sq mi) in size (with a length of 125 km (78 mi) and a maximum width of 40 km (25 mi) at an average elevation of 85.5 m (281 ft) above sea level). In the basin area, the average annual rainfall is 1,223 mm (48.1 in). In the upper portions of the river, the Ritigala mountain range, which consists of four main peaks (the largest of which is over 900 m (3,000 ft) high), serves as the main watershed.

From the North Central Province to the Palk Strait, the Malvathu River flows for 102 kilometers. The city serves as a connecting point between Anuradhapura and the Mannar Coast. For more than 15 centuries, Anuradhapura was Sri Lanka's capital, and the ancient Kings commissioned the construction of canals on the river to feed the rice farms and keep the populace afloat. As a result, the river is historically significant in Sri Lanka. Pollution and rising sedimentation are threatening the river's aquafauna.

Length: 164 kilometers (102 miles)