Wet Sleddale Reservoir
Encyclopedia
Wet Sleddale Reservoir is an artificial reservoir
set amongst the Shap Fells 4 kilometres (2.5 mi) south of the village of Shap
in Cumbria
, England
and lies just within the boundary of the Lake District National Park
. The triangular shaped reservoir, which can store 2,300 million litres of water, was created by the construction of a dam across Sleddale Beck in order to supply Manchester
with water. The dam is 21m high and 600m long.
The abstracted water is carried to Haweswater
, mainly through tunnels.
The beck emerges from the foot of the dam as the River Lowther
. There is a public car park beneath the dam from which a public right of way give access to the south side of the reservoir.
Manchester Corporation were given powers to construct the reservoir under the Haweswater Act, 1919 but construction did not start until the 1960s and completion was in 1966.
Reservoir
A reservoir , artificial lake or dam is used to store water.Reservoirs may be created in river valleys by the construction of a dam or may be built by excavation in the ground or by conventional construction techniques such as brickwork or cast concrete.The term reservoir may also be used to...
set amongst the Shap Fells 4 kilometres (2.5 mi) south of the village of Shap
Shap
Shap is a linear village and civil parish located amongst fells and isolated dales in Eden district, Cumbria, England. The village lies along the A6 road and the West Coast Main Line, and is near to the M6 motorway...
in Cumbria
Cumbria
Cumbria , is a non-metropolitan county in North West England. The county and Cumbria County Council, its local authority, came into existence in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972. Cumbria's largest settlement and county town is Carlisle. It consists of six districts, and in...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
and lies just within the boundary of the Lake District National Park
Lake District National Park
The Lake District National Park is located in the north-west of England and is the largest of the English National Parks and the second largest in the United Kingdom. It is in the central and most-visited part of the Lake District....
. The triangular shaped reservoir, which can store 2,300 million litres of water, was created by the construction of a dam across Sleddale Beck in order to supply Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
with water. The dam is 21m high and 600m long.
The abstracted water is carried to Haweswater
Haweswater Reservoir
Haweswater is a reservoir in the English Lake District, built in the valley of Mardale in the county of Cumbria. The controversial construction of the Haweswater dam started in 1929, after Parliament passed an Act giving the Manchester Corporation permission to build the reservoir to supply water...
, mainly through tunnels.
The beck emerges from the foot of the dam as the River Lowther
River Lowther
The River Lowther flows through Cumbria in England. It is a tributary of the River Eamont which in turn is a tributary of the River Eden which flows into the Solway Firth near Carlisle....
. There is a public car park beneath the dam from which a public right of way give access to the south side of the reservoir.
Manchester Corporation were given powers to construct the reservoir under the Haweswater Act, 1919 but construction did not start until the 1960s and completion was in 1966.