Puttalam Lagoon

Puttalam Lagoon
Location	Puttalam
Coordinates	08°06′N 79°46′E
Primary inflows	Kala Oya Mi Oya
Basin countries	Sri Lanka
Max. length	28 km (17 mi)
Max. width	12 km (7 mi)
Surface area	327 km2 (126 sq mi)
Average depth	1–2 m (3.3–6.6 ft)
Max. depth	5 m (16.4 ft)
Surface elevation	Sea level
References

The Puttalam Lagoon is a large 327 km² (126 sq mi) lagoon in the Puttalam District, western Sri Lanka.

The lagoon is fed by two rivers, namely the Kala Oya and Mi Oya, discharging at 2.2 m³/s (77.7 cu ft/s) and 8.1 m³/s (286.0 cu ft/s) respectively. It is linked to Mundal Lagoon 15 km (9.3 mi) to the south by a channel. The lagoon's water is brackish to saline.

The lagoon is surrounded by a region containing coconut, open forest, grassland and scrubland. The land is used for prawn fishing, salt production and rice cultivation.

The lagoon has extensive mangrove swamps, sea grasses and some salt marshes, attracting a wide variety of water birds including pelicans, herons, egrets, ducks, terns and other shorebirds.

Islands

A moderate number islands scatter over the lagoon including:

List of islands in the lagoon from north to south

Island	Area	Location
Oddakarentivu		08°16′35″N 79°45′50″E
Sinna Erumativu		08°16′28″N 79°46′21″E
Erumativu		08°16′04″N 79°46′45″E
Pambativu		08°14′42″N 79°46′33″E
Kilitivu		08°14′27″N 79°46′52″E
Neduntivu		08°14′06″N 79°46′45″E
Mattutivu		08°13′01″N 79°46′59″E
Ambantattivu		08°12′42″N 79°45′58″E
Pullupiddi		08°11′20″N 79°46′40″E
Somativu		08°10′45″N 79°45′22″E
Maripututivu		08°10′33″N 79°44′59″E
Kakativu		08°10′26″N 79°45′22″E

See also

• Geography of Sri Lanka