Historically water wheels could be used to generate power for machinery without the need for electricity. This could be achieved through the use of cogs, belts and shafts that run the length on the building. At Thwaite Mills in Leeds, a whole workshop was powered without the need for electricity.
How man-made intervention can improve the efficiency of a water wheel
Humans have found ways throughout history to make waterwheels more efficient. One of the more poupular methods is to control water flow by building a weir, essentially a wall under the water. The wall can hold water back and channel it towards the wheel as is the case at Thwaite Mills in Leeds.
The water passes through the river bars and into the mill, where it turns the two water wheels. It passes right through to the other side of the mill and re-joins the rest of the river further upstream. The water in front of the mill is called the headrace and the water on the other side of the mill is called the tailrace.