Impact of Tsunami on Groundwater, Soils and Vegetation in Coastal Regions of Sri Lanka

 

 

19 September 2005

 

 

at

 

 Soil Survey Laboratory & SRICANSOL Resource Center

 

Department of Soil Science

Faculty of Agriculture

University of Peradeniya

 

 

Sponsored by

 

United States National Science Foundation (USNSF)

National Science Foundation of Sri Lanka (NSF)

Soil Science Society of Sri Lanka (SSSSL)

 

 

PROGRAM

 

9.00 a.m.          -           Welcome Address

                                    Dr. N. Jayasooriya - NSF

                                    Prof. Ananda Gunatilaka – NSF

                                    Prof. Ranjith  B. Mapa - SSSSL

 

9.10 a.m.          -           Address by Prof. K.G.A. Goonasekara

                                    Vice Chancellor, University of Peradeniya

 

                                    Session I – Chairman: Prof. T. Illangasekare

 

9.15 a.m.          -           Project background, goals and planned outcomes

                                    Prof. Tissa Illangasekare

                                    Dr. Jayantha Obeysekera

 

9.30 a.m.          -           Post-tsunami Research Initiatives in the coastal zone

                                    Zone of Sri Lanka

                                    Prof. Ananada Gunathilaka

 

10.00 a.m.         -           Tea

 

10.30 a.m.         -           Pre and post Tsunami salinity effects on agricultural

                                    Land

                                    Prof. R.B. Mapa, Dr. M.W. Wickramasinghe

                                    D.N. Sirisena and K.M.A. Kendaragama

 

11.00 a.m.         -           Synopsis of Post-Tsunami Rapid

Environmental Assessments in Sri Lanka

                                    Dr. Mahesh Jayaweera                        

 

11.30 a.m.        -           Hydrogeology of the coastal area of Sri Lanka

                                    Dr. H.A. Dharmagunawardena

 

12.00 noon       -           Lunch

 

Session II- Chairman: Dr. Jayantha Obeysekera

 

1.00 p.m.                      Pre and post Tsunami effects on vegetation of

coastal areas

Dr. S.P. Nissanka

 

1.30 p.m.          -           Groundwater conditions of the Dry Zone of

Sri Lanka with special emphasis on the coastal region

                                    Dr.Lasantha Perera and Dr. C.R. Panabokke.

 

2.00 p.m           -           Tsunami Impacts on shallow groundwater and

                                    associated water supply on the East coast of Sri

                                    Lanka

.                                   Dr. Karen Villholth

 

2.30 p.m.          -           Integrated management of surface water and

                                    Groundwater – Approaches and system tools

                                    Prof. William Yeh

 

3.00 p.m                       Water and Salinity Dynamics in Soils and

Groundwater

                                    Prof. Rien van Genuchten

 

3.30 p.m                       Tea

 

4.00 p.m                       Coastal Aquifer chemical mixing: salt-water

freshwater stability issues and possible mechanisms

for post-tsunami aquifer mixing.

Prof. Scott Tyler

 

4.30 p.m.          -           Comments by participants and discussion

Prof. Tissa Illangasekara

                                    Dr. Jayantha Obeysekara

 

6.00 p.m                       Conclusion