Many isolated farms were flooded as well as all or part of ten communities (Batchellerville, Fish House, Osborne Bridge, The Vly, Cranberry Creek, Sacandaga Park, Town of Day, Conklingville, Munsonville and Benedict).

The new body of water was initially called a "reservoir," but in the 1960s it was renamed the Great Sacandaga Lake in an effort to promote tourism to the area.

People not only come from many local cities and towns to visit the lake for recreation, but also from other areas of the state, New England, and New Jersey.

Approximately 70% of the District's revenues come from lease agreements with electrical power companies who run the hydroelectric turbines in the dam.

[3] Located on the south shore is the David Rayfiel House, listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2009.

[9] Hudson River–Black River Regulating District[2] Fish species present in the lake are walleye, northern pike, smallmouth bass, rock bass, smelt, brown trout, yellow perch, landlocked salmon, pumpkinseed sunfish, and brown bullhead.

There are four different access sites, including: a state owned hard surface ramp boat launch on NY-30, in the village of Northville; a state owned hard surface ramp boat launch at the Northampton Beach Campground near NY-30, 1.5 miles (2.4 km) south of the village of Northville; a state owned hard surface ramp boat launch off County Route 110, 3 miles (4.8 km) northeast of the village of Broadalbin; and a state owned hard surface ramp boat launch on North Shore Road, 5 miles (8.0 km) north of the hamlet of Edinburgh.