The Koggala Lagoon is situated in the south of Sri Lanka in the district of Galle. It is a natural water body that plays host to eight rich and ecologically diverse islands. it is located close to the town of Koggala which is about 110km south of Colombo.
Features
Koggala is one of the places often recommended by many a boutique hotel in Sri Lanka thanks to it being one of the few places where turtles come in to lay eggs.
The Koggala Lagoon has a surface area of 7.27 square kilometres and a depth of 3.3 ft. It is mostly fed by rains as well as the Koggala Oya and a couple more anicuts and small streams.
Tourism
Thanks to its rich biodiversity, the Koggala lagoon is famous among tourists in the area. The islands are rich in ecosystems and host lush mangrove swamps. There are various creatures, endemic mangrove species and other flora to see.
Environmental Problems
Due to sand mining in the early 1900s, the natural sand barrier has been slowly exposed to waves and is disappearing. As a result, the salinity of the lagoon has slowly increased and this poses a direct threat to the ecology of the lagoon.
What You Can Do
The government together with the Universities of Ruhuna and Saitama in Japan have begun a rehabilitation project in 2013 and you too can help by raising awareness and asking for more information from local resorts such as Tri Koggala.
