When you live in a semi-arid or arid area such as the Front Range of Colorado, you know about irrigation and water rights. The Parshall Flume helped to foster the growth of farming and the equitable use of water. The plaque reads:
THE PARSHALL MEASURING FLUME
A Historical Landmark of Agricultural Engineering
Since the beginning of irrigated agriculture,
it has been important to measure flows of irrigation
water. Accuracy of early water measurement methods
often suffered because of trash or sediment in the
water, or unusual flow conditions.
Ralph L. Parshall saw this problem when he began
working for the USDA in 1915, as an Irrigation Research
Engineer. In 1922 he invented the flume now known by
his name. When this flume is placed in a channel, flow
is uniquely related to the water depth. By 1953 Parshall
had developed the depth--flow relationships for flumes
with throat widths from 3 inches to 50 feet.
The Parshall Flume had a major influence
on the equitable distribution and proper management
of irrigation water. Thousands of flumes have been
used to measure irrigation water, as well as industrial
and municipal liquid flows, throughout the world.
This plaque marks the site of the original Colorado
Agricultural College Hydraulics Laboratory, where
Parshall carried out his historic experiments.
Dedicated
by the
American Society of Agricultural Engineers
1985
[Top left is an illustration of the flume; top right is the logo of the ASAE]
For more information, (
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Ralph Parshall's biography and work may be found at (
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