The earthen dam was constructed between 1948 and 1950 by the United States Army Corps of Engineers with a height of 141 feet (43 m) and a length of 14,300 feet (4,400 m) at its crest.

[2] It impounds Cherry Creek, a tributary of the South Platte River, for flood control.

The dam and reservoir are owned and operated by the Corps of Engineers.

The reservoir it creates, Cherry Creek Reservoir, has a water surface of 880 acres (360 ha),[3] and a maximum capacity of 134,470 acre-feet (170 million cubic meters).

[4][5] Recreation at the reservoir centers on the facilities of the adjacent Cherry Creek State Park, which offers camping, radio-controlled aircraft, picnicking, opportunities for bird watching, cross country skiing, fishing, horseback riding[6] and an outdoor shooting range.