Training of the rivers Jadar and Lesnica in the Loznica valley

Torrent in the Vlasina river basin-erosion and gully control works in the river bed

In the course of more than 50 years of its activity, the institute has grown into largest establishment of its kind if former Yugoslavia. At present, among more than 300 employees of the institute, about 100 are professional engineers and university graduates, manly of them with high academic degrees.

Being involved in many complex and urgent problems of water development in Serbia and Montenegro, the specialists and experts of the institute have been obliged to keep abreast with the most advanced methods and techniques of research: in many fields, original methods were also contributed. Progress has been achieved in all branches of water resources and hydraulic engineering: hydropower development, river engineering, watershed management and soil conservation, flood control, land reclamation, irrigation and drainage, municipal and industrial water supply, sewerage and waste water treatment, pollution control, environmental protection, waterways and navigation, etc. With the growing complexity of the water-related problems, ever more complex methods of research have been developed. At present, highly sophisticated models for water resources planning and management are in current use.

The institute took an active part in the design and implementation of almost all major water resources development projects in the country. To name just a few among them:

In addition to works in Yugoslavia, the Jaroslav Cerni Institute has participated in water resources projects in over 20 foreign countries. In particular, the Institute was active in many developing countries, such as: Algeria, Bangladesh, Burma, Cyprus, Ethiopia, Ghana, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Pakistan, Panama, Peru, Syria and others.
Of all the activities in former and present Yugoslavia and abroad, over 6,000 reports, studies and designs resulted, of which many contain valuable professional and scientific contributions. Many of conferences or were published in professional and scientific journals.

Experts of the Institute are active members of several scientific and professional acquisitions and the Institute hosted important international scientific meetings on many occasions.

A short titles of the professional and scientific contents of the Institute’s activity is given bellow:

The Institute – alone or in the cooperation with other institutions – organizes from time to time special courses and workshops for water resources and hydraulic engineers, e.g. on water resources management, river engineering, etc. From 1981, a three-month summer course takes place in the Institute for continuing education of water resources engineers in developing countries. Over 200 engineers from Asia, Africa and Latin America participated (up to 1988) in the course. Linkage is kept with UNESCO – International Hydrological Program was also printed by the Institute. 

The management with the main part of the Institute is located in the large compound at the foot of the Avala Hill, about 15 km from the town center, except for some of the departments which are at the other location, in the town.

The scope of hydrogeological studies include: