Dworshak Dam was authorized by the Flood Control Act of 1962. The project includes a dam, powerhouse, and Dworshak National Fish Hatchery. It provides flood control, hydropower, outdoor recreation, navigation, and fish and wildlife benefits. Dworshak also supports the world’s largest steelhead hatchery. In the summer, water released from the dam is used to provide cool water and increased flows to promote salmon and steelhead migrations on the Lower Snake River.

Dworshak Dam is straight-axis concrete gravity dam with a structural height of 717 feet. It is the third tallest dam in the United States and the tallest straight-axis concrete dam in the Western Hemisphere.

The lands around the 54-mile-long reservoir, located on the North Fork Clearwater River, include a variety of recreational opportunities, including fishing, boating, hiking, horseback riding, ATV riding, mountain biking, geocaching, camping, or wildlife watching.