Part of the northern shore of the lake is managed by the West Virginia State Park system.

President Lyndon B. Johnson dedicated both the dam and a new Summersville Post Office on September 3, 1966.

In 2001, a two-year project was completed to harness the dam outflow for hydroelectric power generation.

The lake also serves as a recreation area for fishing, boating, and rock climbing,[2] as well as snorkeling and scuba diving.

There is a small boat under the lake that was intentionally sunk to give divers something to view while scuba diving.