When full, the open-water surface covers almost 3,200 hectares (7,900 acres)[4] and has a capacity of 85,000,000 cubic metres (3.0×109 cu ft).

[5] The dam was built as part of a major investment in infrastructure required to exploit copper-nickel ore reserves at Selebi and Pikwe, estimated in October 1969 to total 45.7 million short tons.

The 3.5 kilometres (2.2 mi) long, 27 metres (89 ft) high zoned embankment was completed in 1973.

[2] In 1982 it was found that groundwater from the local wells in Francistown had high levels of nitrate, and was also inadequate to meet public demand, so the public water supply for that city was changed over to using water from the Shashe Dam.

[7] The total potential yield of fish from the reservoir has been estimated at over 50 tonnes per year.