It forms Lake Britton, and is owned by the Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E).

[2]: 6  An intake structure at the dam diverts water into a 19-foot (5.8 m) diameter, 21,203-foot (6,463 m) long tunnel that connects to the Pit 3 hydroelectric plant.

[2]: 6 Lake Britton, formerly known as Pit 3 Reservoir, has a maximum water level of 2,737.5 ft (834.4 m); however, the lake is usually kept below 2,736.5 ft (834.1 m) to avoid flooding parts of McArthur–Burney Falls Memorial State Park.

[2]: 6 The lake level changes on a weekly basis with greater drawdowns during the weekdays for power generation, and refilling on the weekends.

The dam is the place where Pacific Crest Trail crosses the Pit River.