Ancient lake cascade systems (ACS) for climate resilience in Sri Lanka
It’s a misnomer to introduce Sri Lanka ancient lakes as lakes, tanks, or resoviors! An equivalent man-made creation does not exists. So here I call it Wawu or Wawa (singular). English pronunciation: WA-wu and Wa-wo (singular).
1: The very purpose of the ACS was the sustainability not just the sustainability defined for the man-kind or human civilization, but it is a physical and spiritual creation of an engineering system that encompassed evey living being.
- The core objective of the cascade system – providing a better life for humans while conserving nature and its components with a minimal harm
- Which includes human well-being, economics, social development, spirituality, politics
- WATER was the main component of life and the livelihood – ACS was the base, lifeline, blood, especially in the ancient Sri Lankan society
- The nation-state and local culture organized on the ACS
- What is a Wawu-cascade system
Organization – System of PEOPLE and PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT (not just a physical environment)
Engineering – Physical components of the ACS
Environmental – Make the Sri Lankan dry zone a livable place to human
3: How it differs from a lake, pond or reservoir?
Naturalization of the components of the cascade system – environment (plants, animals, and the biota/ culture / food/ spiritual / economics
4: Why it has been selected as a GIAHS (Globally Important Agricultural Heritage System? – SUSTAINABILITY
I would argue ACS is the MOST SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT PROJECT OF MANKIND- it is intact and running for 3000+ years in the midst of destruction
5: Resilience:
- ACS itself is a resilience project for human well being
- Within the umbrella of this system, multi-facet resilient programs for all sources of human life can be observed
1 Water security
2 Resilience for food and nutrition security
3 Climate resilience – is one aspect of resilience supported by ACS
4 Economic resilience
5 Social safety net
6 Political stability – parakramabahu blocked water supply to the north / 2009 Mavil Aru Humanitarian operation – Eelam war
7 Environmental: conserve rainforests mid hills- civilizations moved to the dry zone
6: Climate issues and ACS:
- Dry zone- low rainfall hot temperature
- Lack of water resources for consumption or agriculture
- Monsoons can create floods in some years
- Drought can kill people – baminithiya saaya
7: ACTION PLAN for climate resilience
Practical aspects of resilience governed by local level-village people as well as the state (Public/ wewu widane/ wewu lekama/ parumaka/ gaamini/ king/)
Explore Hazards
- Villagers gathered as a unit to protect units of ACS.
- Observed past weather events and future climate trends – Astrology, experience, spiritual activities
- Discovered a hazard to things for the society – Break of a dam, leak, famine, drought, flood
JOB OF Wew Lekama and Wewu Widane – Assess Vulnerability & Risks
- Determined which assets (social/environmental/economical) are exposed to harm.
- Assess each asset’s vulnerability.
- Estimate the risk to each asset.
- decide acceptance of risk that climate presents to assets.
Participatory governance of villagers/ Wewu Lekama and Widane
Investigate Options
- Consider possible solutions for your highest risks. – Break of a dam, leak, famine, drought, flood and etc
- Seek solutions from experience, history of consult GAM SABHAWA or others have responded to similar issues in the region.
- Solutions are determined stakeholders (State/king/ welwidane/wewu wudane are willing to support.
Planning – both local and State level depending on the scale of the hazard
Evaluate costs, benefits, and your team’s capacity to accomplish each action.
- RAJAKARIYA- a liberal – free enterprise working system for free men (not slavery/not socialism)
Implementation
- Move forward with the stakeholders who accept responsibility and bring resources to take action.
- Check to see if your actions are increasing your resilience. – Wewu Pirith
- Daily monitor, review, and report on your project.