A view of the front of this 97m-high fall is possible from Midigama. It is one of six falls affected by the upper Kotmale hydro-power project. This project has had an adverse impact on the environment. According to Sirisena, an environmentalist, poet and native of the area, Kotmale used to be famous for pure honey and jaggery, both products of the Kithul tree. These trees have disappeared since the introduction of the hydro-power project, which the Japanese government has assisted by providing credit facilities. To compensate for the loss of the fall, the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) plans to release water 10 times a day.

In 1998, Sri Lankan Kumar Bandula, otherwise known as Tony, established a record of the fall. The lack of forethought by the Kotagala Plantations could have meant that the area surrounding the fall and diverse species that live here, including the endemic purple-faced leaf monkey, were adversely affected. However, the persistent lobbying of environmental groups averted disaster.

Devon Falls is located along the Talawakele - Hatton road near the 20th mile post (Talawakele, Nuwara Eliya District). From here it is a walk of 1km through tea estates. The Talawakele rest-house is 6km away and it is 21km to the Dick Oya rest-house.

• Author & Publisher : Dharman Wickremaratne
• Photographer : Rajika Niroshan

• Editorial Team

 

For more details please contact :

Lanka Council On Waterfalls, PO BOX 26, 434/3 - Sri Jayawardenapura, Sri Lanka.

email : waterfalls@sltnet.lk / phone: +94 (0)11 5648151/+94 (0)71 2733986

 

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Lanka Council On Waterfalls (LCWF), PO BOX 26, 434/3  Sri Jayawardenapura-Sri Lanka.
E-mail: waterfalls@sltnet.lk, afejchairman@yahoo.com/ phone: +94 (0)11 5648151/+94 (0)71 2733986
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