The dam wall is located on Lady Denman Drive and is adjacent to the National Zoo & Aquarium and a viewing area for the official residence of the Governor-General of Australia.

Scrivener Dam, designed in Germany,[1] holds back the waters of the Molonglo River within Lake Burley Griffin.

[7][8] A routine annual audit of the dam wall undertaken during 2011 revealed that the anchor bolts, which are part of the flap gate hinge mechanism, showed signs of corrosion.

[8] Flows of 2,000 m3/s (71,000 cu ft/s) and above at the dam spillway are achieved with all five flap gates open and are able to maintain the normal level of the Lake at 555.93 metres (1,823.9 ft), measured at the East Basin.

A minimum base flow of 0.03 m3/s (1.1 cu ft/s) is required in the Molonglo River, downstream of Scrivener Dam at the gauging station below Coppins Crossing.

[11] On 17 October 1964, Menzies commemorated the filling of the lake and the completion of stage one with an opening ceremony amid the backdrop of sailing craft.