Minneriya Reservoir Minneriya Reservoir or Minneriya Wewa (Sinhala: මින්නේරිය වැව) is a low-land shallow irrigation tank situated in Minneriya National Park in Polonnaruwa District, Sri Lanka (Silva & Gamlath, 2000). It is considered one of the ancient tanks in the country (Silva & Gamlath, 2000). History
This is the ancient Manihira-vapi (also called Minihiri, Minihoru), one of the 16 celebrated reservoirs built by King Mahasena [(276-303 A.D.) Arumugam, 1969; Fernando, 1980; Nicholas, 1963; Silva & Gamlath, 2000]. According to chronicles, Mahasena dammed the Kara Ganga and brought the water to the Minneriya tank along a canal called Talavatu (Nicholas, 1963). King Vijayabahu I (1055-1110 A.D.) is said to have restored this canal and filled the Manihira tank (Nicholas, 1963). The present Talvatura Oya that flows into the Minneriya tank is identified with the ancient Talavatu canal (Nicholas, 1963). King Sena II (853-887 A.D.) added a sluice and later King Parakramabhu I (1153-1186 A.D.) repai…