The La Mesa Dam was constructed in 1929 as the Novaliches Reservoir during the American colonial era in the Philippines.

[1] The La Mesa Dam was built in Novaliches, which was then in the municipality of Caloocan due to the sloping topography of the watershed area from Bulacan.

[1] The La Mesa Dam was raised in 1959 to increase the reservoir's maximum capacity to its current level.

[3] These elevations can be observed from SM Fairview Mall, the Basement Level and First Floor at the Round about going bayan.

[1] The La Mesa Watershed Reservation which hosts the dam and reservoir is jointly administered, supervised, and controlled by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources of the Philippine national government and the is under the joint administration, supervision and control of the (DENR) and the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS).