Jenő Kvassay

Jenő Kvassay (Buda, 5 July 1850 – Budapest, 6 June 1919) was a civil engineer, specializing in hydraulic engineering. He was a significant figure in the development of the Hungarian water service.

Education After studying mechanical engineering at the Technical University of Pest, he attended the Hungarian Royal Economic Academy in Magyaróvár. He completed his education at the École des Ponts et Chaussées in Paris.

Career In 1876, Kvassay was the first to trace the saline pollution in the Great Hungarian Plain to the salt deposits (Lower Triassic evaporites) in the Austrian mountains. Although, later research also confirmed the hypothesis of József Szabó that weathering of peralkaline and alkaline rocks also contributed to this effect. This later became the "National Water Bureau" (Országos Vízügyi Főigazgatóság (OVF)). The current (2014-2020) national comprehensive water plan in Hungary is the "Jenő Kvassey Plan" (A Kvassay Jenő Terv).

Awards The Hungarian Academy of Sciences awarded him the Fáy Award for his work Mezőgazdasági vízműtan (Agricultural Water Works), and in 1918 they awarded Kvassay the Wahrman Prize for his work.

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