The dam was built between 1999 and 2003 by a consortium consisting of Industrias Metalúrgicas Pescarmona (IMPSA) and Cartellone[5] to provide flood control, hydroelectricity and irrigation water.

[1] The dam and reservoir have lost significant storage capacity due to the high silt content of the Mendoza River.

When the reservoir was first filled in 2003, the capacity was estimated at 627,000 cubic decametres (508,000 acre⋅ft), with a total surface area of 1,500 hectares (3,700 acres).

[3] The entire hydroelectric complex generates upwards of 850 million kilowatt hours per year, or 20% of the electrical consumption in Mendoza Province.

[4] In December 2015, A helicopter which was being used for filming an MTV reality show The Challenge has crashed into the reservoir killing the pilot and a technician.