The dam forms Lake Jocassee, which is fed by the Toxaway, Thompson, Horsepasture and Whitewater Rivers, and serves primarily for hydroelectric power generation and flood control.
The dam and reservoir are part of the Keowee-Toxaway Hydroelectric Project, owned and operated by Duke Energy.
At full pool, the reservoir has a storage capacity of 1,185,000 acre-feet (1.462×109 m3),[2] encompassing 75 miles (121 km) of shoreline and 7,500 acres (3,000 ha).
Floodwater is released through a spillway controlled by two 40-by-32-foot (12.2 m × 9.8 m) gates, with a capacity of 45,700 cubic feet per second (1,290 m3/s).
[3] The dam supports a 710 megawatts (950,000 hp) hydroelectric station, generating power from four turbines.