For centuries, the waterwheel was civilization’s most important power source. It was used to grind grain, extract vegetable oil, power machinery and even generate electricity. In the world of the Morrow Project, this technology will be used again.
One variant of the “undershot” waterwheel is the Boat Mill: a waterwheel mounted between 2 barges and anchored in the river.
A simple and inexpemsive/crude wooden structure, the Boat Mill has a few advantages over a mill built on the banks of a river
1. Continuous operation The waterlevel of a river will rise and fall with the seasons. In winter, a fixed watermill on the bank of a river might find its blades above the waters. Conversely, rising water levels (after the Spring Melt) could partly or completely submerge the wheel. Historically, the solution to this problem was to build dams and sluicegates but these colutions are expensive and complex.
2. Security. A Mill is a vital asset and restricting access, or being able to move it, are useful capabilities
3. Efficiency. The ‘catamaran’ style of Mill Boat results in faster water flow into the wheel. This can be improved further by placing the Mill Boat near bridges and other features .
PD NOTE: A Morrow Project team will want to know about capabilities. The Boat Mill pictured above can generate about 5 Horsepower, or 4000 watts (in other words, about the same as a portable Honda generator). It can grind 200 sacks of grain per day
Adventure seeds:
1. The Boat Mill is adrift! If the Team can rescue the Boat Mill, they’ll gain the gratitude of an entire village
2. What’s a jenny-rater? The Reconstruction Effort needs electrical power. The team have to explain why the Village would benefit
Morrow Project Ideas 
Awesome post! Glad to see you writing again. Thanks for all the effort you put into this blog, it got me back into Morrow project after years away.