Research carried out by Asian Development Bank – ADB along with the International Water Management Institute (IWMI) says that, the link between climate change and extreme climatic weather patterns indirectly contributes to the extreme rainfall experienced in Sri Lanka especially during the South West Monsoon Season.
However, each year the country scrambles in search for an effective forecast and flood management system each year, owing to the lack of a tried and tested method.
It is identified that the low lying areas of the major rivers of Ging, Kalu, Nilwala and Kelani are more likely to be affected by floods. Certain tributaries of these rivers are unable to bear the sudden increase in the volume of water brought on by monsoon rains.
The Department of Irrigation says that an effective method to mitigate flood related incidents is by widening bottlenecks in the major rivers.
Population pressure and increasing water competition in a changing climate require us to take stock of the availability and use of water across scales. Water availability not only influences farmers’ commercial prospects but also irrigation-related enterprises and agri-businesses. Greater water scarcity could jeopardize irrigation and agricultural markets while excessive water use can lead to declining ecosystems, water quality and soil health. IWMI advises development partners and the public and private sectors on all aspects of water resource availability and use through a variety of advanced modeling and remote-sensing products and tools, including 
The ability of farmers to engage in or expand irrigation depends on the prevailing socioeconomic, ecological and political contexts, which are often complex, non-linear and changeable. Overcoming systemic barriers to farmer-led irrigation development while taking advantage of existing opportunities 
A lack of affordable credit, particularly for women and resource-poor farmers, is one of the main barriers to expanding farmer-led irrigation in low- and middle-income countries. But 
Scaling farmer-led irrigation requires strengthening human capacity and knowledge exchange among all actors and stakeholders involved. IWMI takes an action research approach, working with national and international research institutions, governments, extension agents and public and private organizations to co-develop the scaling ecosystem and strengthen capacity to drive scaling networks and collective action. We support the