YPF Best Paper Prize

One of the main highlights during the annual SANCOLD and ICOLD Conferences is the award for the best paper prepared and presented by a Young Person. Since 2013, the recipients have been:

2013

Mfundo Vezi (University of Cape Town) for his paper on Dynamic Modelling of Arch Dams in the Ambient State

2014

Christiaan Marais (AECOM) for his paper on Computational Fluid Dynamic Modelling of the Spring Grove Dam’s Spillway

2015

Louis Coetzee (SMEC/University of Pretoria) for his paper on Evaluation of the Influence of 3-dimensional Upstream Flow and Geometric Parameters when Designing an Ogee Spillway

2016

ICOLD 2016 – Best Paper: Takahiro Koshiba (Japan) for his paper on Development of a Bedload Transport Measuring System for Sediment Bypass Tunnels in Japan

ICOLD 2016 – Best presentation: Sonel Reynolds (Department of Water and Sanitation) for her presentation on De-Commissioning of Hammarsdale Dam by Transforming it from a Contaminated Problem Child into a Sustainable Wetland

2017

Guy Robertson (AECOM) for his paper on Innovative Techniques Used During Upgrading of Kudube Dam Outlet

2018

Stephan Dreyer (Stellenbosch University) for his paper on Investigation of the Shape of Low-Level Outlets at Hydropower Dams for Local Pressure Flushing of Sediments

2019

Adèle Bosman (Stellenbosch University) for her paper on Rock Scour Hole Equilibrium Geometry Prediction for Plunging Jets at Dams

2020

No event.

2021

Katy O’ Brien (ARQ) for her paper on Using the Norsand Constitutive Model as a Tool in Assessing the Static and Dynamic Stability of Tailings Slopes containing contractive Material

2022

Shared by:

  • Caitlin Heidbreder (University of Stellenbosh) for her paper on Towards Development of Guidelines for the Hydraulic Design of a Combined Fishway-Canoe Chute at Weirs, and
  • Cherie Starke (DJ Hagen) for her papers on:
    • Ngodwana Dam Rehabilitation: Is the Downstream Berm Extension Addressing all Failure Modes?
    • Practical Implementation of Ecological Water Requirements Releases for Small Agricultural Dams
    • Soil Permeability Testing: What Permeability Are You Measuring?

2023

Reginald Barry (Zutari) for his papers on:

  • Dam Intake Tower Safety Considerations and Improvements,
  • Lessons Learnt on the Recent Development of Large Pumped Hydro Storage Schemes in South Africa and
  • Improving the Operation of a Trash Rack for a Tunnel Intake Structure in Lesotho