The dam creates Lago di Vogorno 2 km (1.2 mi) upstream of Lake Maggiore and supports the 105 MW Verzasca hydroelectric power station.

It was constructed between 1961 and 1965 and starting shortly after its reservoir was filled, a series of earthquakes related to its water load occurred until 1971.

[6] Excavation of the right side of the dam had to be expanded due to unforeseen weathered rock and designs were altered within 15 days.

[6] During what Dr. Giovanni Lombardi, the dam's designer, described as an "exceptionally rapid rise of water during the first filling" of the reservoir, beginning in August 1964, there were seismic shocks.

The earthquakes began in May 1965 and the biggest shocks had occurred later in October and November after the reservoir was full.

[12] After refilling, the shocks decreased and an "equilibrium" was believed to have been reached, one that did not respond to variations in water load.

[7] No known detailed geological studies were conducted prior to construction of the dam and several faults are known to exist in the area.

[6] Lombardi considers it one of his most aesthetically pleasing dams, primarily because of the slenderness of the concrete arch and the "outstanding cleanness of the design."

[7] The dam has two spillways, each located on the structure, near its abutments on either side which have a maximum discharge capacity of 2,150 m3/s (76,000 cu ft/s).

The flip buckets dissipate and deflect the water towards the center axis of the valley 200 m (660 ft) below.

[6][16] The power plant can discharge up to 50 m3/s (1,800 cu ft/s) of water which exits via a 1.9 km (1.2 mi) tailrace tunnel into Lago di Verbano.

The dam doubled as the fictional Arkhangelsk Chemical Weapons Facility located in the northern Soviet Union during the Cold War.