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Koggala
Lagoon
(Sinhala:
කොග්ගල
කලපුව)is
a
coastal
waterbody
located
in
Galle
District,Southern
Sri
Lanka.
It
is
situated
near
the
town
of
Koggala
and
adjacent
to
the
southern
coast,
about
110
km
(68
mi)
south
of
Colombo.
The
lagoon
is
embellished
with
eight
ecologically
rich
small
islands.
The
lagoon
has
a
surface
area
of
approximately
7.27
km2
(2.81
sq
mi)
measuring
4.8
kilometres
(3.0
mi)
in
length
and
2
kilometres
(1.2
mi)
in
width.
The
water
depth
ranges
from
1.0
metre
(3.3
ft)
to
3.7
metres
(12
ft).
The
lagoon
is
largely
rain
fed
and
a
number
of
streams
are
connected
to
it.
Warabokka-ela
stream
(Koggala-oya)
that
enters
the
lagoon
from
the
north-west
is
the
main
freshwater
supply.
Kerena
anicut,
which
was
constructed
combining
two
streams,
Mudiyansege-ela
stream
and
Thithagalla-ela
stream,
is
the
second
largest
freshwater
inflow.
Heen-ela
stream
contributes
a
minor
to
the
freshwater
inflow
In
addition
to
above
four
streams,
Kahanda-ela
stream,
Gurukanda-ela
stream
and
Thelambu-ela
stream
are
also
contributors
for
freshwater
inflows
but
are
presently
abandoned
with
overgrown
vegetation.
The
only
outlet
of
the
lagoon
is
Pol-oya
located
at
the
southeast
corner;
a
narrow
300
metres
(980
ft)
long
canal,
which
connects
the
lagoon
with
the
Indian
Ocean.
The
lagoon
has
a
hydro-catchment
area
of
approximately
55
km2
(21
sq
mi).
Various
land
use
practices
exist
in
the
catchment,
which
mainly
includes
small-scale
fishing
industry
and
paddy
farming.
The
Koggala
Export
Processing
Zone
(KEPZ),
is
an
industrial
area
with
a
surface
area
of
91
ha
(220
acres)
located
within
the
catchment
area
of
the
lagoon.
The
Koggala
Lagoon
is
one
of
the
main
features
for
tourists
who
visit
southern
coastal
areas
in
Sri
Lanka
with
rich
bio
diversities
and
eco
systems.
The
Lagoon
is
scattered
with
eight
small
islands.
The
islands
consist
of
lush
mangrove
swamps.
Anchored
in
mud,
the
mangrove
roots
are
coated
with
a
variety
of
creatures,
including
barnacles,
oysters
and
crabs.
The
dense,
intertwining
roots
serve
as
nurseries
for
many
fish
species.
There
are
seven
islands
in
the
lagoon,
that
can
be
reached
by
boat.
The
most
famous
of
the
islands
is
‘Madol
Doova'
(Mangrove
Island
Sinhala:
මඩොල්
දූව)’,
which
is
described
in
detail
by
Martin
Wickramasinghe
in
his
novel,
Madol
Doova.
Motor
boats
are
available
to
hire
to
travel
across
the
lagoon.
Tourists
can
witness
the
varying
species
of
Mangrove,
about
ten
of
which
are
endemic
to
Sri
Lanka.
Wildlife
of
these
islands
inherited
to
a
wide
variety
of
flora
and
fauna,
like
monitor
lizards
and
a
number
of
birds.
In
addition
to
wildlife
and
the
scenery,
Kathaluwa
Buddhist
Temple
(Kathaluwa
Purvarama
Maha
Vihara)
is
one
of
the
main
tourist
attractions
in
the
lagoon
with
Kandyan-style
paintings
dated
19th
century.
Some
images
include
colonial
rulers
and
strangely
Queen
Victoria
herself
to
commemorate
her
support
for
local
Buddhism
in
the
face
of
British
missionary
Christianity.
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