Salinity intrusion in Bentota river, Sri Lanka

Sea water intrusion simply means where two dissimilar ecosystems interact, like fluvial or fresh water and marine or brackish/salt water ecosystems. Sea water intrusion will let salt water to flow in lands along with the river and through the process of infiltration; salt water will leak in to the soils and ground water sources adjacent to the river making its salinity levels are high. Therefore the cultivated paddy lands adjacent to the river are vulnerable to saline deposition and fail of paddy production which will lead to land degradation at the end. Soil degradation refers to reduction in soil quality or reduction in the ability of the soil to perform a range of productive, environmental and habitat functions.