IWHR

The China Institute of Water Resources and Hydropower Research (IWHR) was established in 1958 by merging three organizations, namely, the Water Resources Research Institute under the Ministry of Water Resources, the Hydropower Research Institute under the Ministry of Electric Power Industry, and the Institute of Hydraulic Research under the Chinese Academy of Sciences. Disbanded in 1969 and reorganized in February 1978, now the Institute is affiliated with the Ministry of Water Resources. It was renamed as the China Institute of Water Resources and Hydropower Research in 1994.

The Institute has a long history and its founding can be traced back to 1933. The Tianjin Hydraulic Laboratory, pioneer of research institute in the field of hydraulic engineering in China at that time, became a component of the Institute since its merging into the Water Resources Research Institute in 1949.

Since the establishment in 1958, IWHR has now developed into a research center of water resources and hydropower in China. It is responsible for the research tasks encountered in major hydro projects, state five-year plan key programs of science and major programs funded by the Ministry of Water Resources, the Ministry of Science and Technology, as well as the National Natural Science Foundation of China. The emphases are being laid on the following research activities: development, utilization and management of water resources, flood control and disaster reduction, water saving technology and engineering measures to ensure high agricultural yield, application of remote sensing technique in the disaster prevention and mitigation, sedimentation problems in rivers and reservoirs, hydraulic problems related to high dams, new structures and new materials for dam construction, foundation and geotechnical problems, aseismatic technology for water projects, new hydro turbines and pumps, automation for power stations and pump system, hydraulic problems arising from cooling water system in thermal and nuclear power plants, ecological and environmental problems related to thermal and water projects, etc. Besides, the Institute is also engaged in design of hydro projects, supervision of engineering construction safety monitoring and safety identification of large dams as well as technical consulting service at home and abroad. The annual revenue of the Institute is growing rapidly, up to 0.356 billion Yuan in 2004.

IWHR has achieved the first class certificate for engineering consultation issued by the Chinese Engineering Consultation Society, the first class certificate (SEAC A1024) for Environmental Impact Assessment issued by the State Environmental Protection Administration of China, the first class certificate (WSCC A70) for planning of water and soil conservation projects issued by the Ministry of Water Resources, the first class certificate for assessment of seismic risks issued by the China Seismological Bureau, the first class certificate, for engineering supervision.

On the basis of research findings, companies subordinted to the Institute have developed various practical techniques and products for the need of society and national economy development.

IWHR is composed of 16 research departments/centers. It boasts a staff of 1,383, 54% of them are scientific and technical personnal, including 415 senior engineers, 340 engineers. Among them, 2 are the academicians of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, 4 are the academicians of the Chinese Academy of Engineering.

Divided into two parts, the northern and southern compounds of the Institute are some 4 km apart and cover total land area of 270,000 m2 and embrace 32 laboratories with total area of 30,000m2. About 120 sets of sophisticated test facilities and instruments are provided for experimental tests, including a high precision universal hydraulic machine model test facility, a high speed water tunnel, a large-scale vacuum tank, a large-scale high performance triaxial vibration actuating system, a 450g-t geotechnical centrifuge, a rigid rock testing machine and a large-scale triaxial testing machine for geotechnical test, etc.

IWHR is actively involved in international exchange and cooperation activities with the overseas famous research institutes, universities, as well as the major international academic societies. Besides the International Research and Training Center on Erosion and Sedimentation (IRTCES), funded by UNESCO and the Chinese Government, the Chinese National Committee on Large Dams (CHINCOLD), the Chinese National Committee on Irrigation and Drainage (CNCID) and the Coordination Group for Chinese member of International Association of Hydraulic Research (IAHR) are also seated in the Institute.

IWHR actively develops its international business in recent years and attained the certificate of foreign trade right in 1993.

The Institute is accredited and authorized by the State Council to offer programs of graduate studies for Doctor’s and Master’s degrees. Up to 2004, 352 Masters and 52 Doctors have been conferred.

To serve for the society and promote the development of economy whole-heartedly is the cardinal purpose of the Institute. IWHR is constantly improving itself to provide excellent service to prospective clients at home and abroad.
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