Magnifizenz Prof. Dr.-rer.nat.habil. Achim Mehlhorn
Welcome Address
Dear Mr. Chairman, Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,
On behalf of the Dresden University of Technology I would like to express a very warm welcome to you. This is the first time that the annual meeting of ICOLD is held in Germany. It is an honour and great pleasure that the city of Dresden and the Dresden University of Technology has been chosen as the venue for the 69th Annual ICOLD Meeting.
Each year experts and scientists in dam and waterpower engineering from all over the world come together to discuss new developments and techniques and to take part in the exchange of professional experience. These international meetings substantially contribute to the high standards in dam and hydropower engineering. I admire and respect civil engineers, who construct dams up to a height of 300 m, such as the Grande Dixence Dam in Switzerland. Here in Saxony, we have more than 100 dams, the biggest being Eibenstock with a reservoir capacity of about 80 Mio. m³. Most of these dams are multi-purpose projects, often serving the needs of flood protection and water supply. Nearly 50 percent of the inhabitants of Saxony receive their water from reservoirs.
In the last years, issues related to dams and reservoirs have been intensely discussed. Among these are environmental aspects, dam safety, resettlement and overall benefits. These concerns must be openly discussed; therefore this ICOLD meeting has dedicated a whole day to considering these issues. At these sessions, members of ICOLD, WCD, government agencies, the World Bank and NGO’s may discuss their opinion of various problems related to dams. I would like to express my hope that our lecture room and the atmosphere of our University campus may promote a fruitful discussion that helps bridge opposite points of view. I am convinced that dams have significantly contributed to the welfare of mankind.
The workshop also deals with technical and financial problems, such as modern techniques for construction, operation, financing and risk assessment for dams and hydropower projects. Thirty outstanding papers will be presented in parallel sessions on various topics. The large numbers of international and national participants indicate the good reputation and high quality of this meeting. I am pleased that members of the Institute for Hydraulic Engineering and Applied Hydromechanics of my university have participated in the organisation of this meeting and are active members of ICOLD.
The Dresden University of Technology has a long tradition in hydraulic engineering. The first river engineering lab in the world was established in 1898 at the Institute for Hydraulic Engineering. This hydraulic lab has been in continuous operation for more than 100 years. The founder was the well-known Hubert Engels, who was a professor here for 33 years. The lab is located right next to the conference site and may be visited during the symposium and workshop.
Dresden University currently has approx. 26000 students who study at 14 different faculties. I am very impressed that students are able to attend the symposium and workshop free of charge. This is a good custom and will lead to the future advancement of the knowledge discussed here.
I wish the organizers and the participants a very successful experience at the symposium and workshop, and also a pleasant and eventful stay in Dresden.
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