Chen Jiaqi

Photograph

Dates

Chen Jiaqi, March 5, 1924 – June 22, 2012

Biography

Professor Chen Jiaqi, a native of Changsha City, Hunan Province in China, graduated from the Civil Engineering Department of Tianjin Jingu University (formerly Tianjin Institute of Business and Technology, later merged into Tianjin University). From September 1947 to July 1951, he served as an assistant engineer of the North China Water Conservancy Engineering Bureau. From August 1951 to November 1955, he studied at the Institute of Water Problems of the Soviet Academy of Sciences, studying floods and flood control issues, and obtained an associate doctorate degree. From December 1955 to November 1969, he served as an engineer at the Hydrology Research Department of the Water Resources and Hydropower Research Institute. From December 1969 to August 1978, he was transferred to the Fourth Engineering Bureau of the Ministry of Water Resources and Electric Power (Liujiaxia, Yongjing County, Gansu Province). In August 1978, he was transferred to the Institute of Water Resources and Hydropower Research as a senior engineer. From April 1982 to February 1985, he was transferred to the Ministry of Water Resources and Electric Power as the director of the hydrological bureau, in charge of the national hydrological work. From February 1985 to April 1988, he served as a consultant for the Water Resources Office of the Ministry of Water Resources, a member of the Science and Technology Committee of the Ministry of Water Resources, and a consultant for the Institute of Water Resources and Hydropower.

Professor Chen Jiaqi was also been employed as a professor at Sun Yat-sen University, Wuhan University of Water Conservancy and Electric Power, Beijing Institute of Meteorology, Vice-Chairman and Council Member of China National Committee for Global Change, Chinese Society of Hydraulic Engineering, China Natural Resources Research Association, and editor of "Encyclopedia of China Hydrology" Committee, the first director of the editorial board of "Progress in Water Science". In 1987, he was elected as the Vice-Chairman of the International Association of Hydrological Sciences (IAHS).

Hydrological Achievements

Professor Chen Jiaqi was a famous hydrologist and one of the pioneers of water resources science in China. In terms of design flood calculation for small watersheds, Chen Jiaqi used Dooge JCI and Nash JE runoff generation and convergence theory to establish the design flood calculation method based on the Mulvaney TJ reasoning formula. The method was applicable to China’s natural geographical conditions. (Storm Flood Calculation Method for the small basin, China Industry Press, 1966). He proposed the science of water resources (Introduction to Water Resources, China Water & Power Press, 1996; Water Resources, Science Press, 2002). It has promoted the research and practice of water resources in China

Professor Chen Jiaqi made important contributions to China's water conservancy and hydropower construction. From 1972 to 1974, he participated in the hydrological analysis and planning of the preliminary design of the Heishanxia Hydropower Station and the Longyangxia Hydropower Station in the Fourth Engineering Bureau of the Ministry of Water and Power. He, Tan Weiyan and others applied Monte Carlo method to hydrological statistical analysis for the first time. From 1975 to 1977, as one of the main persons in charge, he presided over the revision of China's "SDJ22-79 Design Flood Calculation Specification for Water Conservancy and Hydropower Projects", summed up the design flood calculation experience since the founding of People’s Republic of China (PRC), and appropriately handled various controversy between calculation methods. In 1978, Mr. Chen Jiaqi attended China's First National Science Conference as the representative of Qinghai Province and was commended by the conference. From 1987 to 1990, he participated in the feasibility demonstration of the Three Gorges Project on the Yangtze River, and served as the leader of the hydrological expert group and a member of the core expert group for the preliminary design review of the Three Gorges Project.