The dam's main purpose is for the diversion of water for generation of hydro-power and is the smallest of the sixteen major dams that comprise the Snowy Mountains Scheme, a vast hydroelectricity and irrigation complex constructed in south-east Australia between 1949 and 1974 and now run by Snowy Hydro.

The dam was constructed based on engineering plans developed under contract by the Snowy Mountains Hydroelectric Authority.

At 100% capacity the dam wall holds back 11 megalitres (390×10^3 cu ft) of water.

The uncontrolled spillway is capable of discharging 312 cubic metres per second (11,000 cu ft/s).

[1][2] The water behind the dam is diverted into the Tooma – Tumut Tunnel through a siphon intake along with 3 other intakes on the Tunnel to Tumut Pond Reservoir, for use in the Tumut Valley Power Stations.Below the dam wall, Deep Creek flows into the Tooma River, before emptying into the Murray River within the Murray–Darling basin.