It is part of a number of reservoirs and dams that were built over the course of the 19th and 20th centuries in the area now covered by Dartmoor National Park to supply drinking water to the city of Plymouth and other rapidly growing towns in the surrounding lowlands.

The reservoir was built under the supervision of Edward Sandeman (1862-1959), the Water Engineer for Plymouth.

Work began in December 1923, including the construction of a temporary suspension bridge near Burrator Dam to maintain traffic flow during the project.

[1] Today, Burrator Reservoir is managed by the South West Lakes Trust and serves as a popular destination for leisure activities such as walking, cycling, and fishing.

The reservoir featured in the first episode of the second series of James May's Man Lab, broadcast on BBC Two in October 2011, when Oz Clarke and James May travelled along the reservoir's edge while attempting to stage an escape from Dartmoor Prison to the village of Meavy.