Two Waters Meeting at a Common Outlet
Where the middle water settles, and why a lateral exit raises the surface at mid-channel
In red chalk Leonardo describes what happens when two currents meet and bend together toward a single outlet: the 'middle water' comes to rest beyond that outlet, over the weaker of the two currents. A second note treats a canal with a lateral exit, observing that the water surface, as it turns from its straight course toward the side outlet, stands higher in the middle than at the sides. Two red-chalk flow diagrams accompany the text, one above and one below.
On this page
Middle water beyond the outlet of two merging currents
When two waters meet and then bend together toward one same outlet, the middle water settles beyond that outlet, positioned above the current of lesser force.
Surface raised at mid-channel toward a lateral exit
In a canal with a side outlet, the water surface that turns aside from the straight line of its course stands higher in the middle than at the sides as it bends toward the lateral exit.