MEASUREMENT AND DIVISION OF WATER. 
current, those near the center have the greater discharge. 
Making the central openings smaller only partially evades 
the difficulty, for as the relative velocities of the center and 
sides differ with different depths, this arrangement would 
still be inexact for any one depth except that for which 
the opening is made. 
In its most common form the divisor consists of a 
partition dividing the channel into two portions in pro¬ 
portion to the respective claims. This, in effect, assumes 
that the velocity is uniform across the whole cross-section, 
which is not the case, even in a uniform channel, and 
much less so in one irregular or in poor repair. Such a 
division is to the disadvantage of the smaller consumer. 
The nearer the velocity is uniform across the whole 
channel the better this method of division, evidentlv. Ac- 
cordingly means are frequently taken, by weir-boards or 
otherwise, with this object in view, but generally with in¬ 
different success. A screen would accomplish this one ob¬ 
ject better, hut the objections to its use are too many in 
most places to render it practicable. One form often used 
pi 
Fig. 1 . —a common divisor. 
and seen in various places has a movable partition board, 
A, as in the figure, so that the user who gets his water 
through L can move A out to some distance, according 
to the amount of water he needs. A cleat of some kind 
is generally used to prevent the board being moved be¬ 
yond a certain distance. The Lariat ditch of Ihe San 
Luis valley, which is broad and shallow, uses a simple 
