The dam's gross storage capacity is 67.07 million cubic meters (2.37 tmcft).

Its total length from its source to its confluence with the Yamuna River is 900 kilometres (560 mi).

The dam is situated at a distance of 168 kilometres (104 mi) from the district administrative headquarters of Mandsaur.

The Chambal River had not until then been used for any major developmental works, and was proposed to be developed under a joint initiative of the state governments of Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan.

The water received at the Kota Barrage is shared equally between Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan for irrigation.

This dam is a concrete gravity dam, 45 metres (148 ft) high, located approximately 23 kilometres (14 mi) upstream of Kota Barrage to its southwest, and provides a hydroelectric power generation capacity of 99 MW, with three generator units of 33 MW capacity each.