Alumni award winner César Alvarado Ancieta: global impact in hydraulic engineering

A global encounter

The two years spent at the Institute marked an important chapter, recalled Alvarado Ancieta, who had already worked in Peru for 10 years before arriving in Delft. “Among the many learnings, I gained a deeper understanding of how rivers transport water; how the estuaries, coastal areas, and beaches are washed by waves; how dams and intakes release water through gates; and how water can be transported through tunnels and stored in dams, creating large impoundments,” he said after receiving the award during the 2023 Opening Academic Year & Alumni Award Ceremony.

Reflecting on that period, Alvarado Ancieta emphasised in an interview that his education at IHE Delft was far more than academic. To him, it represented a “global encounter” that contributed to his broader understanding and perspectives. Expressing deep gratitude for the guidance and knowledge received, he said his lecturers and mentors, including Professors Gerrit Klaassen and Petru Boeriu, had a profound impact on his life. Though the programme demanded “rigorous coursework”, he said, he found it formative not only in strengthening his skills, knowledge and overall growth as an engineer, but also “instrumental in teaching the importance of intercultural exchange.” This part, he said, was a critical aspect of the learning experience.

After completing the MSc in Hydraulic Engineering at IHE Delft in 2004, he had planned to return to Peru. However, his specialisation in River Engineering and River Basin Development meant that international engineering projects emerged almost immediately, propelling his career to a global level. He first moved to Stuttgart in Germany and began working on projects in Bangladesh, Azerbaijan, Nicaragua, Peru, El Salvador, Ecuador, Uganda, Congo, Pakistan, India and Nepal. "Germany became my adopted country," he said. Many more countries would follow.

The masterplan

For his work in the Piura River Basin, Alvarado Ancieta explained how “social pressures from the citizens” ultimately aided the final acceptance of the master plan by authorities and stakeholders.

The plan aims to “take advantage of the anthropogenic changes in the Piura River” which used to flow directly into the sea about 50 years ago, he said. Human intervention altered this, redirecting the river's path to irrigate arid regions—something that in retrospect is not ideal. The challenge now, he said, is to use nature-based solutions to integrate these human-induced changes with the ancient river alignment for better flood control.

While the implementation of the plan is expected to take several years and will require large financial investments, Alvarado Ancieta remains hopeful that the Peruvian Government will find a way to execute it with public involvement, particularly from the citizens of Piura.

He noted, however, that the implementation phase always comes with its own challenges.

"I firmly believe that even with the best engineers and the best master plan, if political interference and corruption come into play, no project can succeed," he said. “If political authorities fail to grasp this, it directly impacts the citizens, leaving them to suffer in their homeland.”

A proud moment

Receiving the IHE Delft Alumni Award was a proud moment for Alvarado Ancieta. In his acceptance speech, he said that the award serves as "recognition not only of my career but also of the struggles for Piura, Tumbes, Trujillo, Sullana, Lima, and the rest of Peru”.

Launched in 2013, the award is presented annually to an IHE Delft graduate who has made a substantial impact in a water-related field. The jury singled out Alvarado Ancieta’s achievements in the Piura River Basin as particularly significant. Alvarado Ancieta has also authored over 60 research publications, one monograph, and aspires to write a book on hydraulic engineering topics to further share the knowledge he has gained throughout his career.