Water Current Meters in the Smithsonian Collections of the National Museum of History and Technology

Abstract

Water current meters are the basic instruments used in connection with stream gaging, the art of measuring and maintaining a continuous record of the volume, in cubic feet (or cubic meters) per second, of water flowing in rivers. The history of both that art and these instruments forms a large part of this study. The contributions of men like Marcus Vitruvius, Hero of Alexandria, Leonardo da Vinci, Benedetto Castelli, Sir Isaac Newton, and a large group of eminent modern hydrographers are discussed. Special attention is given to the type of current meters built for use on rivers such as those in the collection of the Smithsonian Institution. It does not include meters of the type featured in the collection at the Institut Oceanographique, Musée de Monaco, most of which were developed especially for measuring ocean currents. Whenever possible, the men responsible for introducing each new design are also discussed.