The lake was formed in the 1970s by the flooding of a gravel pit excavated to provide material for the construction of an embankment raising the motorway 34 feet (10 m) above the Mersey's floodplain.

Sale Water Park provides important recreational facilities and wildlife reserves, as well as forming part of the flood defences for the surrounding area of Trafford.

The amount of water entering and leaving the Dole is managed, maintaining its mud flats to make sure they are available for birds like common snipe and little ringed plovers throughout the year.

[5] As well as providing a habitat for wild birds the Dole also contains an orchid meadow in which heath spotted-orchids have established themselves, and there are breeding colonies of smooth and great crested newts.

[4] Sale Water Park lies within the floodplain of the River Mersey and plays a significant part in local flood defence.

Monitoring the water level of the river and deciding when to open the sluice gates into the park is the responsibility of the Environment Agency.

The lake is popular with local anglers, containing a wide variety of fresh water fish, such as carp, pike, perch, roach, eel and catfish.