HALEK

CZECH REPUBLIC AND SLOVAKIA (see also List of Individuals)

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19.7.1930 Olomouc/CR - 6.12.2001 Veverska Bityska/CR

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Vaclac Halek was born in Moravia. He graduated from the Technical University of Brno VUT as a civil engineer in 1954 and submitted there a PhD thesis on groundwater flow in 1957. He was appointed associate professor of hydraulic research in 1969 and promoted to full professor at the Technical University of Brno in 1990, once the country had opened towards the West.

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Halek was one of the most prominent individuals in groundwater hydraulics of his country. In his first PhD thesis he investigated the characteristics of unsteady flow features. For the second PhD thesis submitted in 1966 to obtain the title of Doctor of Sciences, Halek analyzed artificial infiltration in an aquifer. He then expanded his knowledge among the students, not only in Brno but also in the Technical Universities of Prague and Bratislava. In addition, Halek lectured internationally, such as at the Universities of Belgrade, Zagreb, Ljubljana or Tbilisi. From 1975 until retirement he directed the Institute of Hydraulic Engineering and Water Management in Brno, which increased its reputation during his active directorship. He there developed original methods in both physical and numerical modeling of mainly groundwater flows. His main results involve research in porous media, determination of well discharge, increase of well capacity by infiltration and the methods of both active and passive means to protect wells from pollution. He studied the interaction between surface and groundwater flows and thereby took interest in colmation. Besides theoretical works Halek was also involved in engineering projects such as the Gabcikovo Dam on Danube River. His 1979 book on groundwater hydraulics remains a significant contribution.

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_{Gabriel, P. (2002). Prof. Vaclav Halek. IAHR Newsletter 40(6): 93. P Halek, V. (1959). Quelques remarques sur l'étude théorique et expérimentale de l'écoulement non permanent des eaux souterraines. Vodohospodarsky Časopis 7(2): 149-171 (Czech).}

_{Halek, V., Rybnikar, J. (1963). Hydrotechniky vyzkum. SNTL: Prague.}

_{Halek, V. (1967). The movement of groundwater in a laminated environment of river coastal zones. Proc. Intl. Soil-Water Symposium Prague: 321-344.}

_{Halek, V., Svec, J. (1973). Hydraulika podzemni vody. Academia: Prague.}

_{Halek, V. (1973). Méthodes pratiques pour la solution du colmatage au cours d'infiltration des rivières et des basins de retenue. 15 IAHR Congress Istanbul 3: 203-12.}

_{Halek, V. (1979). Groundwater hydraulics. Elsevier: Amsterdam.}