The dam is an embankment structure 145 feet (44m) high and 12,843 feet (3,915m) long, with an elevation of 2,318 feet (707m) at the crest.[3] A catchment area of 3,120 square miles (8,100km2) lies above the dam site.[4] At full pool, the reservoir has a capacity of 468,585 acre-feet (0.577991km3), with a surface area of 12,150 acres (4,920ha).[4] Normal conservation water levels are much lower, at 81,443 acre-feet (0.100458km3).[2] Regular water discharges pass through an outlet works with a capacity of 600cuft/s (17m3/s), while flood flows are released through two spillways: a morning glory inlet with a capacity of 5,700cuft/s (160m3/s), and an emergency overflow channel that can pass up to 127,000cuft/s (3,600m3/s).[2][5]
Shadehill Dam was originally intended to serve irrigation purposes as well, but after determining that the water in the reservoir was too saline the Bureau of Reclamation dropped this phase from the project.[2]
