Dam Wet © Andrew McCaren

Photographer name: Andrew McCaren

From: Leeds, Yorkshire, UK

Age: 45

Photo title: Dam Wet

Photo location: Wet Sleddale Dam, Shap, Cumbria, UK

Date photo taken: 15 March 2019

Story behind the photo: Whilst trying to visualise the heavy rainfall of March 2019 Wet Sleddale came to mind, I have driven past Wet Sleddale dam many times and seen it dry even after prolonged rainfall, but thought I would take a chance. After a 4:30am start and a 2 and a half hour drive from my home in Leeds to Cumbria, I made it to the location and remember shouting yes yes yes as I saw the water pouring down the spillway. 

Weather caption: Water cascades down the 21m high dam wall of Wet Sleddale reservoir near Shap in Cumbria, after a period of very heavy rain. Rain that falls at a rate greater than 4mm per hour is defined as heavy, whilst anything above 8mm per hour is termed very heavy. Wet Sleddale Reservoir can store 2,300 million litres of water and was constructed to supply Manchester with water.

Technical details:

Camera                     Canon EOS-1D X

Lens model               EF70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM

Shutter speed           1/320

Aperture                     f/5

Focal length              200 mm

ISO                           400