The reservoir lies in a broad valley nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains of rural southwestern Virginia of the Appalachian chain.

In times of low demand, the generators are used as pumps to reverse the flow and return the water to Smith Mountain Lake.

In its partnership role with Smith Mountain Lake generating power, Leesville Lake has a maximum refill rate of 1.33 feet (41 cm) per hour and a maximum drawdown rate of 0.46 feet (14 cm) per hour.

Since the 1960s, the area around Leesville Lake has remained relatively rural and remote with mostly corn, tobacco, small family farms and other agriculture.

Since about 2004, however, residential growth has begun to expand rather quickly and lakefront homes and communities now dot the shoreline.