Understanding Pump Curves: The Key to Efficient Performance Choosing the right pump isn’t just about size or horsepower—it’s about performance. And the secret to understanding performance lies in the pump curve. A pump curve is your roadmap to efficiency, showing how a pump will behave under different flow and pressure conditions. What a Pump Curve Shows A standard pump curve plots flow (GPM) against head (pressure). The sweet spot, called the Best Efficiency Point (BEP) , is