Built for irrigation, flood control and electricity generation purposes by the State Hydraulic Works (DSI), the dam is 95 m (312 ft) high and has a volume of 8.493 hm3 (11,108,425 cu yd) filled with rock.

The dam creates a 49 km2 (19 sq mi) wide lake with 1,150 hm3 (4.1×1010 cu ft) capacity at normal water level.

[1] Partly on the western and eastern banks of the dam reservoir, the Karatepe-Aslantaş National Park is located.

Overlooking the dam reservoir, a walled settlement of the Neo-Hittites was discovered on Karatepe dating back to the 8th century BC.

The Kumkale on Domuztepe, another settlement of the Neo-Hittites and a fortification built by the Crusaders, which is located about 2 km (1.2 mi) north of this site, was flooded by the dam reservoir.