In addition to the fishermen, the water-dependent trades were dependent on the Wiese. However, due to the dynamics of the river and the fact that it was still unconfined to its course in the Middle Ages, it was relatively difficult to use the water power of the Wiese for water mills, saw mills or smithies. With the increasing reclamation of the meadows during the Middle Ages and the growing importance of livestock farming in agriculture, the newly established meadows on the floodplain and their irrigation became an economic factor. To utilise the water of the river, from the Late Middle Ages it was diverted at weirs, known locally as "Wuhre", and guided through artificial channels, known locally as "Teiche", to the farms and the meadows, using the routes of old river arms.