[1] Reconstructed in 1948, it impounds Canyon Creek for flood control, irrigation water storage, municipal drinking water, and hydropower.

[2] It is one of ten facilities operated by Nevada Irrigation District.

French Lake Reservoir has a surface area of 337 acres (136 ha) and a maximum capacity of 13,800 acre-feet (17,000,000 m3).

The site is surrounded by Tahoe National Forest.

The adjacent namesake townsite of French Lake, California is a ghost town of the California Gold Rush era.