The scheme was intended to rectify severe water shortages in metropolitan Perth.

A number of farms that had been established within the catchment of the dam were resumed and their built infrastructure demolished.

[2] It has a capacity of 59.8 gigalitres (15.8 billion US gallons) and a catchment area of 132 square kilometres (51 sq mi).

[3][4][5] The dam is on the City of Armadale's heritage list, having been registered on 1 December 2008.

[6] This article about a dam or floodgate in Australia is a stub.