The dam was named after Robert Leslie Harrison, a Queensland parliamentarian who died in April 1966.

[citation needed] The dam is located between the suburbs of Capalaba, Chandler and Burbank, approximately 16 kilometres (9.9 mi) southeast of Brisbane.

Controlled gates were added to the spillway in 1984 to increase water supply to the region, and removed in 2014 to improve dam safety.

[1] Initially managed by the Redland City Council, management of the dam was transferred to Seqwater in July 2008 as part of a water security project in the South East Queensland region, known as the South East Queensland Water Grid.

Features of the upgrade design include: There are no plans to introduce recreation at Leslie Harrison Dam.