Looking around one of the old mills in our valleys I came across these sluice gates, which was the main point of all mills in the 17th, 18th and 19th century. Without these gates the mill would not work and therefore were carefully maintained every day.
To make the weaving machines work these gates were closed down, blocking the rivers course. The water was therefore redirected in a different direction where a waterwheel was in the route for the water to turn, This then turned all the mechanical wheels above the looms and hay presto the cloth was made.
Today waterwheels and turbines are used as in the old day, but manly to produce electricity along with those wind turbines. What will water and wind produce in the future, nobody knows yet, but it is bound to change long after I have gone.
