in october 2017 at crown point near leeds city centre and knostrop two movable weirs, the first in the uk, were installed in the first phase of a two phase plan to reduce floods. reducing the height of the weir, by deflating a 'bladder' has the potential to reduce flood levels by up to one metre upstream. the knostrop weir was operated during the 2019 england floods. a 600m stretch of land, knostrop cut island, was removed allowing the river and canal to merge creating additional flood water capacity. adrian gill, area flood risk manager at the environment agency said, "the scheme has reduced the risk of flooding to 3,000 homes, 500 business and 300 acres of development landsouth-east of leeds train station to woodlesford".