Unless you're trying to tell me that the amperage is simply a measurement of the flow... and not related to the water pressure at all. Like... say, a paddle wheel with an RPM counter inserted into the stream coming out of the side of the dyke. And the amperage is merely the number on that RPM counter.

Is that what you're saying?

If so, then my whole problem was not realizing that amperage was just a flow measurement. In other words, amperage is determined by the resistance in much the same way that your speed is determined by how hard you press on the gas pedal.