It lies above Bad Lauterberg in the district of Göttingen in Lower Saxony and impounds the river Oder.

The reservoir serves the following purposes: These functions sometimes create conflicting demands.

The actual barrage is an embankment dam made of rubble (crushed stone) with a central concrete core and a grout curtain of clay.

The concrete wall has joints that follow the shape of the whole dam, without leaking.

The design is very similar in many respects to the Söse Dam built shortly beforehand.