There are many distinguished individuals, and events in the history of the Technical Dam Control conference (TKZ) that have shaped the development of modern Polish hydraulic engineering. Among the pioneers of the first conferences focused on the hydraulic structure safety were Krzysztof Fiedler, Włodzisław Hrabowski and Jerzy Kloze. These individuals were also members of the Organising Committee of the 1st National Technical Dam Control Conference, held over forty years ago, in Warsaw
The closure of the first five-year stage of the Government Programme PR-7, titled “Shaping Water Resources in Poland”, provided a suitable opportunity for organising this event. The programme ran from 1976 to 1980 and was realised in six directions coordinated by major scientific and research institutions:
In the second stage of the programme from1981–1985, COBR Energopol was replaced by Hydroprojekt Warsaw.The Silesian Institute in Opole, which mainly focused on the Oder River basin, also joined in the programme. The fact that the IMGWwas the main coordinator of all activities, and its director acted as the Head of PR-7 Programme, led to the idea of organising periodic TKZ conferences being initiated. Initially, the conferences were held as national events until 2005.
Significant academic contributions to the conference development, apart from the aforementioned initiators, were made by professors Jan Zieliński, Zbigniew Grabowski, Kazimierz Thiel, Zbigniew Kledyński, Jan Winter, who served for many years as chairs of the Scientific Committees of TKZ.
The contributions of the directors of the Dam Safety Technical Control Centre (OTKZ): Władysław Jankowski, Andrzej Wita, and Edmund Sieinski – along with the work of other OTKZ staff, especially long-time conference secretary Anna Kosik, should also be highlighted.
Since 2017, the conference is primarily organised by Division of Hydro-Engineering and Hydraulics of Warsaw University of Technology. Initially, the Organising Committee was chaired by Jan Winter, and as the Secretary – Agnieszka Dąbska. Since the XXI edition of the conference, the Organising Committee has been chaired by Agnieszka Dąbska, while Jan Winter serves as Honorary Chair.
Attendees have included participants from Austria, Belgium, Czechia, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Lithuania, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland, Ukraine, the United Kingdom, Pakistan, Turkey, China, India, Japan, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Canada, the United States of America, Australia.
All editions of the TKZ conference were followed by various publications. Initially, these were the post-conference materials, however, since 2009, recurring monographs have also been published. Many distinguished experts contributed to the conference as chapter authors and reviewers, ensuring high-quality publications, which are valuable to researchers and practitioners.
The idea for the dictionary was introduced at the turn of the first and second decades of the 21st century during annual working meetings of the International Commission on Large Dams (ICOLD). At the same time, cooperation strengthened between the technical services responsible for monitoring and ensuring the safety of hydraulic structures in the Czech Republic, Poland, and the Slovak Republic – especially between Vodní díla – TBD, a.s. from Prague, the Dam Safety Technical Control Centre (OTKZ) of IMGW-PIB from Warsaw, and Vodohospodárska výstavba, Department of TBD from Bratislava. It soon became evident that there was a need to improve language communication and ensure precise translation of water engineering and hydraulic structure operation terms used in those countries.
The dictionary was published by the Polish Chamber of Civil Engineers and distributed to engineers from the Czech Republic, Slovak Republic, Poland, and Hungary, independently of the TKZ conferences. A mobile app version is also available for free download from the Google Play Store (link)
| Edition number | Date | Place | Topics |
|---|---|---|---|
| I | 4–6.11.1981 | Warsaw | |
| II | 10–12.11.1983 | Warsaw | |
| III | 11–13.11.1986 | Warsaw | |
| IV | 27–29.10.1988 | Porąbka‑Kozubnik | |
| V | 1–3.06.1992 | Międzybrodzie Żywieckie | |
| VI | 4–6.10.1994 | Sobieszewo near Gdańsk | |
| VII | 8–10.10.1996 | Rytro | |
| VIII | 20–23.06.1999 | Zakopane‑Kościelisko | |
| IX | 29–31.05.2001 | Rytro | |
| X | 16–18.06.2003 | Kielce | |
| XI | 9–11.06.2005 | Polana Zgorzelisko | |
| XII | 19–22.06.2007 | Stare Jabłonki | |
| XIII | 24–27.06.2009 | Stare Jabłonki | Dam Safety – Safety of People and the Environment |
| XIV | 13–16.06.2011 | Książ Castle near Wałbrzych | Dam Safety – New Challenges |
| XV | 18–21.06.2013 | Jastrzębia Góra | Dams – Safety and Directions of Development |
| XVI | 29.09–02.10.2015 | Wierchomla | Exploitation of Hydraulic Structures – Diagnostics and Risk Prevention |
| XVII | 19–22.09.2017 | Zawoja | Hydraulic Structures – Exploitation and Monitoring |
| XVIII | 10–13.09.2019 | Biała Woda (Lower Silesian voivodeship, Poland) | Hydraulic Structures Monitoring and Safety |
| XIX | 7–10.09.2021 | Legnica | Safety of Dams on Tailings Storage Facilities and Other Hydraulic Structures |
| XX | 12–15.09.2023 | Chorzow | Safety of Hydraulic Structures |
| XXI | 9–12.09.2025 | Krakow | Challenges in Hydraulic Engineering |
| XXII | 14–17.09.2027 | Wroclaw | Water Management and Hydraulic Structures Safety |
For nearly 45 years, the Technical Dam Control conferences have served as a significant platform for meetings and exchanging knowledge and experience among hydraulic engineers. We would like to invite you to participate in future conference editions and create with us the following chapters of its history!
Jan Winter
For nearly 45 years, the Technical Dam Control conferences have served as a significant platform for meetings and exchanging knowledge and experience among hydraulic engineers. We would like to invite you to participate in future conference editions and create with us the following chapters of its history!
Jan Winter