Incredible new images show the lengths workers are going to repair the breached dam at Whaley Bridge.
One emergency worker was seen hanging off the face of the enormous dam wall.
The man - who was wearing a climbing hat and harness - was seen holding a hammer and chisel as he abseiled on the damaged area of the reservoir's slipway.
More than 1,000 people have been evacuated from the Derbyshire town after heavy rainfall and thunderstorms caused damage to the Toddbrook Reservoir.
If the dam gives way it is expected to engulf the homes and businesses below and, as such, a threat to life warning is still in place.
Firefighters and emergency crews have laid down pipes and are using industrial pumps to drain the reservoir of thousand of gallons of water.
The Environment Agency are monitoring the flow of water into the River Goyt, which is said to be coping well.
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The water level is now down by six metres, police said on Monday.
Experts say the water level must fall to eight metres below the level of the damage before evacuated residents will be allowed back into their homes.
Once a level has been reached engineers will view the damage to the wall and will be able to say when evacuated residents can return home.
Labour MP for High Peak, Ruth George, told residents at a community meeting that inspections of the dam could begin on Tuesday afternoon as water continues to be drained.
She said: “They are aiming, if all goes well and if we don’t get any rain, that some time tomorrow afternoon or evening that they might get to that level that they can inspect and then a decision will be made.”
The inflow to the lake has been blocked off by more than 400 sandbags dropped onto the dam wall by an RAF Chinook helicopter.
The Chinook is expected to return to the town again tomorrow to move sandbags to even out the aggregate - which needs to be even to reduce pressure.
The dam wall has been packed with 530 tonnes of aggregate which is being cemented into place to reinforce the structural integrity of the spillway.
Soldiers from the Light Dragoons regiment, based at Catterick, have been working to clear debris from fast-flowing water diverted via a sluice into a bywater parallel to the reservoir.
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn hailed the ‘incredible spirit’ of the Whaley Bridge community, when he visited the town on Monday.
He called for an inquiry into the incident to “make sure all the coordination worked effectively”.
“Everything I have seen shows it did but there are always lessons to be learned,” he said.
The 180-year-old dam structure remains in a "critical condition" with a breach still a "very real threat", according to emergency crews who spoke to locals at a public meeting on Sunday.
Derbyshire Constabulary, Deputy Chief Constable Rachel Swann, today said the team have made “excellent progress”.
But she added: “That being said, the situation in Whaley Bridge still remains critical and there is still a significant threat to life to those in Whaley Bridge and the surrounding Goyt Valley area.
Ten 'rescue boats' are said to be on hand in case the valley is inundated.
Many of the thousand-plus evacuated residents are said to be staying with friends of family.
However police yesterday confirmed that 31 people at 22 houses in the town are refusing to leave their homes.
Residents were allowed to return during ‘controlled’ visits in order to collect pets and essential medicines on Friday night and Saturday morning.
Some never returned to the evacuation points in a move hailed by one senior officer as “disappointing”.
As of Monday the number of those remaining the town stands at 20 people from 16 properties.
“We will repeatedly visit these people to remind them of the risks they are posing to themselves and emergency responders, however there is no specific legislation under which we can force these people to leave,” DCC Swann said.
A further residents’ meeting will take place at Chapel High School at 5pm on Tuesday to report on the progress.
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