NETSANET ZELALEM CHERIE
(Dr.-Ing, PhD, PE in Water Resource Engineering)
I. PERSONAL
• Maji House, Bahari Beach, Dar es Salaam
• Phone: +255749843629 (Call & WhatsApp)
• E-mail: netsalem12@gmail.com
• Sex: Male
• Date of birth:30/06/1980
• Nationality: Ethiopian
• Language English and Amharic
II. SUMMARY
I am an experienced Water Resource Engineer specializing in Hydrology, Hydraulic, Hydropower,
Irrigation Engineering, and Climate Change Impact Modelling. With over 20 years of experience, I have
worked in various sectors and collaborated with diverse teams in both national and international
settings. This has enabled me to effectively manage the design and implementation of water resource
projects, including hydrology, irrigation, and water resource management, with a focus on ensuring
efficient, sustainable solutions.
Currently, I serve as a Project Manager for four major dam and irrigation projects. Throughout my
career, I have contributed to over 8 water supply and 18 irrigation projects, covering all phases from
feasibility studies and engineering design to construction supervision and consultancy. My expertise
has been applied in diverse projects that aim to optimize water resource development. Additionally, I
made significant contributions to the development of the Occupational Standards and Body of
Knowledge (BOK) for Ethiopian Professionals in Hydraulic Engineering, further reinforcing my
commitment to the field.
In addition to my engineering practice, I have been an assistant professor and lecturer, supervising and
teaching master's students and developing curricula for PhD and MSc programs in Hydrology and
Water Resources. This academic experience has allowed me to nurture the next generation of
engineers while strengthening my own knowledge and skills.
Key areas of expertise include:
• Hydro-meteorological data processing, analysis, and interpretation
• Hydrological and climate change modelling
• Reservoir simulation and sediment load estimation
• Water demand assessment for irrigation and water supply projects
• Design of water conveyance systems
• Water resources and irrigation potential assessment
• Design review of dams and associated irrigation and hydraulic structures
• Project leadership, ensuring timely delivery within budget and maintaining quality standards.
• Managing and coordinating technical teams to ensure compliance with operational standards
and policies.
• Writing winning proposals for irrigation, water supply, hydropower, hydrology, and water
resource engineering projects
• Conducting capacity-building training sessions
I am passionate about leveraging my skills and experience to lead impactful water resource projects
that contribute to sustainable development.
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III. EDUCATION
University of Kassel, Kassel, Germany, 2010-2013
PhD: Water Resource Engineer and Climate modelling
Thesis topic: “Downscaling and Modelling the Effects of Climate Change on Hydrology and
Water Resources of Upper Blue Nile River, Ethiopia.”
(https://kobra.uni-kassel.de/items/b1aff498-125b-468c-889d-d66a3602fbc8)
Arba Minch University, Arba Minch, Ethiopia, 2006-2008
MSc: Hydraulic and Hydropower Engineering
Thesis topic: “Integration of Hydropower in the Ongoing Irrigation Projects of Tana Sub-basin,
Ethiopia.”
Arba Minch Water Technology Institute, Arba Minch, Ethiopia, 1998-2003
BSc: Irrigation Engineering
Thesis topic: “Alternative Design of Dugda Adu Medium Scale Irrigation Project, Ethiopia.”
IV. WORK EXPERIENCE
1. PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
PROJECT ENGINEER, September 2023- Up to Now
Continental Consulting (Pty) Ltd., Tanzania
Oversees all aspects of the four Dam and Irrigation Projects in Tanzania
❖ Ngono Vally Dam and Irrigation Project Feasibility Study and Detailed Engineering Design.
❖ Dirim-Tumati-Dongobesh Dams and Irrigation Project Feasibility Study and Detailed Engineering Design.
❖ Makondeko Dam and Irrigation Project Feasibility Study and Detailed Engineering Design.
❖ Ngomai Dam and Irrigation Project Feasibility Study and Detailed Engineering Design.
HYDRAULIC ENGINEER, May 2022- January 2023
Gutema Firisa Construction, Ethiopia
Design review of Finna Bacho earth fill dam project, Ethiopia.
❖ Detailed investigation works on detailed design of dam and headwork.
❖ Review of previous studies on Finna Becho dam stability and seepage analysis.
❖ Perform technical review of the geotechnical investigations.
Activities includes but not limited to
▪ Detailed Investigation Works on Detailed Design of Dam and Headwork
✓ Conduct thorough investigations related to the design of the dam structure, including the
earth fill and foundation.
✓ Assess the design of the headworks (e.g., intake structures, spillways, and control work) to
ensure efficiency and safety.
✓ Review the alignment, dimensions, and materials for the dam and associated infrastructure.
▪ Review of Previous Studies on Finna Bacho Dam Stability and Seepage Analysis
✓ Evaluate prior studies related to the stability of the dam, including potential risks of slope
failure or structural integrity.
✓ Examine previous seepage analysis to assess the dam's ability to contain water without
excessive leakage or erosion.
✓ Verify if previous studies consider relevant environmental, hydrological, and geological
conditions.
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▪ Perform Technical Review of the Geotechnical Investigations
✓ Review geotechnical reports and investigations, including soil testing and foundation
conditions so as to meet the required standards for dam construction.
✓ Assess the suitability of the soil and rock conditions for supporting the dam structure,
considering factors like permeability, shear strength, and settlement.
HYDRAULIC ENGINEER, Aug 2019 -Aug 2021
Construction Solutions PLC, Ethiopia
❖ Prepare Body of Knowledge (BOK) for Ethiopia Hydraulic Professionals.
❖ Prepare Occupational Standard for Ethiopian Hydraulic Professionals.
❖ Prepare Competency Assessment and Certification for Ethiopia Hydraulic Professionals.
Activities includes but not limited to
▪ Prepare Body of Knowledge (BOK) for Ethiopian Hydraulic Professionals
✓ Develop a comprehensive Body of Knowledge (BOK) outlining the essential concepts,
principles, and practices for hydraulic engineering in Ethiopia.
✓ Identify key technical topics, tools, and methodologies necessary for hydraulic professionals
in the country.
✓ Ensure that the BOK includes local regulations, environmental considerations, and specific
challenges in Ethiopia’s hydraulic sector.
✓ Collaborate with stakeholders (e.g., educational institutions, industry experts, and government
agencies) to define the scope and structure of the BOK.
▪ Prepare Occupational Standard for Ethiopian Hydraulic Professionals
✓ Develop clear and detailed occupational standards that define the roles, responsibilities, and
required qualifications for hydraulic professionals in Ethiopia.
✓ Specify the technical, academic, and practical skills required for different levels of practice
(e.g., entry-level, intermediate, senior) within the hydraulic engineering field.
✓ Incorporate industry best practices, ethical standards, and professional expectations to guide
career development.
✓ Align the standards with international frameworks while considering Ethiopia’s unique needs
in water resource management, infrastructure, and environmental challenges.
▪ Prepare Competency Assessment and Certification for Ethiopian Hydraulic Professionals
✓ Design a competency assessment system to evaluate the skills, knowledge, and experience
of hydraulic professionals.
✓ Develop testing materials, practical assessments, and evaluation criteria to measure
competency across various levels of expertise.
✓ Create a certification process to formally recognize hydraulic professionals who meet the
established standards and demonstrate proficiency in the field.
✓ Ensure that the certification process aligns with national policies and supports continuous
professional development.
GENERAL MANAGER, Dec 2016 – Jun 2019
HM Development PLC, Ethiopia
▪ Oversee and Manage Team Performance: Plan, organize, control, integrate, and evaluate the work
of assigned managers to ensure that operations and services align with the policies and strategic
direction set by the board, as well as comply with all relevant laws and regulations.
▪ Monitor Site Work Progress: Regularly evaluate the progress of work at project sites to ensure tasks
are completed according to schedule and quality standards.
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▪ Approve Activity and Resource Allocation: Authorize the allocation of labor, materials, equipment,
and financial resources to ensure that project activities are carried out efficiently.
▪ Approve Equipment Lease and Contract Agreements: Review and authorize equipment lease
agreements and other contractual documents to ensure proper terms and conditions are met.
▪ Lead Project Execution: Direct the overall project efforts to ensure timely, high-quality, and cost-
effective completion of all tasks and deliverables.
▪ Hire Required Crews: Recruit and hire the necessary teams and crews to support project
requirements, ensuring the right skills and capacity for successful execution.
▪ Assess Site Progress and Improve Efficiency: Review site progress reports and take corrective
actions as needed to enhance efficiency and ensure smooth project delivery.
▪ Prepare Quarterly Progress Reports: Compile and prepare the company's overall quarterly
progress reports, summarizing achievements, challenges, and future plans.
HYDROLOGY AND TECHNICAL MANAGER, JUNE 2016-FEB 2018
HM Development Consultancy PLC, Ethiopia
▪ Water Source Identification, Feasibility Study, and Detailed Design for Water Supply
Projects: Conduct water source identification, feasibility studies, and detailed design for water
supply projects in two towns (Kuante Gurage Zone) and Kawa Koto (Silte Zone) in Southern
Ethiopia.
▪ Feasibility Study and Detailed Design for Water Supply and Sanitation Projects: Carry out
feasibility studies and detailed designs for water supply and sanitation projects in the towns of
Gessuba, Tercha, and Sawula.
▪ Identification, Reconnaissance, Feasibility Studies, and Detailed Design for Small-Scale
Irrigation Schemes: Identify, conduct reconnaissance, and perform feasibility studies and detailed
designs for small-scale irrigation schemes in Sidama (Gorche & Malga) and Gedio (Gedeb & Bule).
▪ Proposal Development for Various Projects: Develop proposals for Water, Sanitation, and
Hygiene (WaSH) projects, irrigation and drainage projects, hydropower, climate change impact on
water resources, and hydrology and water resources-related projects.
▪ Preparation of Technical Documents on Water Resources: Prepare detailed technical
documents related to water resources, including design reports, technical specifications, and project
evaluations.
▪ Coordination of Technical Teams: Coordinate and manage the work of the technical team to
ensure effective collaboration and timely delivery of project milestones.
▪ Consultation with Technical Teams on Water Resources Projects: Provide consulting support
to the company’s technical teams on water resources projects, offering expert advice and guidance.
▪ Support for the Technical Team: Offer ongoing support to the technical team in terms of project
execution, problem-solving, and ensuring adherence to technical standards.
2. TEACHING EXPERIENCE
ASSISTANT PROFESSOR, March 2020 – Up to now
Debre Berehan University, Ethiopia
▪ Teaching courses such as Applied Hydrology, Dam engineering, Water works supervision,
Hydropower development, Irrigation engineering, Research methods.
▪ Supplement the teaching with a project-based approach.
▪ Advising students on their MSc thesis work.
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▪ Participating in Curriculum development for MSc program.
▪ Surface and ground water resources assessment for irrigation projects.
▪ Post-conflict reconstruction and rehabilitation of water supply and sanitation infrastructures in
Ataye town.
▪ Treatment of industrial and domestic water effluents using innovative and cost-effective
techniques (on progress).
ASSISTANT PROFESSOR, June 2013 – March 2020
Hawassa University, Ethiopia
▪ Teaching Under- and Postgraduate students on Advanced and Stochastic hydrology, Dam
engineering, Hydropower development, Water supply and sanitation, Urban and storm water
drainage, Irrigation engineering.
▪ Supplement the teaching with a project-based approach.
▪ Participating in Curriculum development for MSc and PhD programs.
▪ Advising students on their thesis work. Some of these are as follows:
✓ Assessment of Urban Drainage system: A case of Adama Town Drainage System.
✓ Uncertainty Analysis of Missing Value Estimation of Daily Rainfall in Lake Hawassa Watershed.
✓ Assessment of Climate Change and Its Impact on Flooding in Hawassa Town Investigation of Water
Drainage System of Shashemene to Hawassa Road.
✓ Evaluating Climate Change Impact on Upper Awash River Basin Reservoir Operation: A Case Study of
Koka Reservoir, Ethiopia.
✓ Meteorological Drought Analysis: The case of Abaya-Chamo Sub-basin.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Publications/Conferences
▪ Cherie and Koch (2013). Mono-multi-model statistical downscaling of GCM- climate predictors for the
Upper Blue Nile River Basin, Ethiopia, In: Proceedings of the 6th international conferences and
Environmental Research, DOI: 10.5675/ICWRER_2013, Koblenz, Germany, June 3-7, 2013, 479-522.
▪ Cherie and Koch (2013). SWAT Modelling of the impact of future climate change on the hydrology and the
water resources in the upper Blue Nile River basin, Ethiopia. In: Proceedings of the 6th international
conferences and Environmental Research, DOI: 10.5675/ICWRER_2013, Koblenz, Germany, June 3-7,
2013, 523-558.
▪ Teshome, Cherie (2019). Hydro-Meteorological Drought Analysis: The case of Abaya-Chamo sub-basin,
Ethiopia.
▪ Cherie (2019). Assessment of Urban Drainage system: A case of Adama Town Drainage System, Ethiopia.
▪ Temesgen, Cherie (2019). Uncertainty Analysis of Missing Value Estimation Daily Rainfall in Lake
Hawassa Watershed, Ethiopia.
▪ Abiyu, Cherie (2019). Assessment of Climate Change and Its Impact on Flooding in Hawassa Town.
▪ Mintesinot, Cherie (2019). Investigation of Water Drainage System of Shashemene to Hawassa Road,
Ethiopia.
▪ Mebratu, Cherie (2019). Evaluating Climate Change Impact on Upper Awash River Basin Reservoir
Operation: A Case Study of Koka Reservoir, Ethiopia.
Honours and awards
▪ DAAD, Germany research fellowship grant, Germany, 2009-2013
Memberships
▪ Ethiopian Association of Civil Engineers (EACE) (http:/www.eacecivil.org), since 2019. Membership ID:
EACE1816.
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Skills
▪ Significant proficiency in Hydro-meteorological data analysis.
▪ Ability to conduct climate and hydrological simulations for various geographical scopes and scales using
complex models using largescale and local observational datasets.
▪ Strong experience with a range of hydrology and water resource modelling packages such as ArcGIS,
ArcSWAT, HBV, HEC-HMS, WEAP, SDSM, LARS-WG, X-Conv, SPSS. Minitab and others.
▪ Analytics, Data Mining, Data Engineering, Database Management, Data Presentation, Analytical
Reasoning, Research, Diagnostics.
▪ Strong written and verbal communication skills.
PROFESSIONAL
CERTIFICATION
▪ Practicing professional in water resources engineering Registration No. RPWRE/296.
ACHIVEMENTS
▪ Engaged in hydrological study of water supply and irrigation development projects.
▪ Prepared Body of Knowledge (BOK) for Ethiopia Hydraulic Professionals.
▪ Prepared Occupational Standard for Ethiopian Hydraulic Professionals.
▪ Prepared Competency Assessment and Certification for Ethiopia Hydraulic Professionals.
▪ Taught 1000+ students and supervised 50+ postgraduate thesis.
▪ Curriculum development for PhD and MSc programs (Hawassa and DB Universities).
▪ Deliver capacity building training in implementing WaSH programs.
REFEREES
▪ Griphin Symphoria, (Mob. +255 754 888746/+255 712 504040 e-mail: gsymphorian@netwas.co.tz)
Managing Director of Network for Water and Sanitation (NETWAS) Tanzania Ltd. Tanzania.
▪ Prof. Manfred Koch (e-mail: manfred_kochde@yahoo.de), Department head of Geohydraulic and
Engineering Hydrology at the University of Kassel, Germany.
▪ Dr. Solomon Seyoum (e-mail: solomon.demissie@gmail.com), Formerly Senior Research Specialist on
Water Resources System at International Water Management Institute (IWMI), Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Currently, he is working at California University, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Los Angeles, USA.
▪ Mr. Melkamu Kifle (Mob. +251-91082860 e-mail: me123ye123@gmail.com), WaSH Program
Management Unit Senior Urban Technical Management Specialist. South Ethiopia Nations Nationality
Peoples Region Water, Mine and Energy Development Bureau, Hawassa, Ethiopia.
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