Work on the reservoir was started by the Leeds Corporation in 1908, and although the major parts of the building process were over by March 1926, the final cementation was not completed until 1941.

[3] Although the Leeds Corporation intended to build another reservoir in Colsterdale on the River Burn, this never came to pass, and Leighton Reservoir was constructed on two tributaries of the Burn; Pott Beck and Spruce Gell.

The reservoir is on land owned by the Swinton Estate and they stock the waters with fish.

A 2 ft (610 mm) 6-mile (9.7 km) railway was built from the north end of Masham railway station where a transhipment yard was located to transfer freight between the narrow and standard gauge lines.

[7] The reservoir has a mean depth of 36 feet (11.1 m), a surface area of 91 acres (37 hectares), a catchment area of 5,600 acres (2,260 hectares), and it lies at an elevation of 617 feet (188 m) above sea level.