It is owned by the city of Aberdeen, Washington, and was built by the United States Army Corps of Engineers in 1972.

[1] Joe Malinowski, the eldest son of Polish immigrants, located several dam sites in the early 1920s and acquired the water rights of the river.

After a political battle with the private power company that served the city of Aberdeen he was offered $50,000 for those rights.

Tacoma Power operates a day use picnic and swimming area along the shore of the reservoir closest to the dam.

Approximately 16 miles (26 km) of the Upper Wynoochee Valley Road (Forest Service Development Rd 22) has been paved including the access road for the Wynoochee dam and recreational areas, this includes the Coho camp ground.