The reservoir is located within the Mount Dajt National Park, a bit south of Shtamë Pass National Park. The cliff faces around the canyon and the dam offer good climbing prospects.^[5] Swimming in the reservoir is forbidden.^[5] There were only a few kinds of fish in the lake: the Schneider (Alburnoides bipunctatus) and Barbus carp were the most common. Large numbers of grass carp have been caught by fishermen. The silver carp (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix) has been repeatedly introduced to improve the water quality.^[6]

Nine remote villages with over five thousand inhabitants are scattered in the hills around the reservoir. The inhabitants derive their livelihoods primarily from agriculture. About 400 families had to be resettled in order to create the reservoir.^[2] They received compensation for their land, but the movement was still violently opposed.^[7]

In September 2001, a bad odour and taste were first noticed in the water from the reservoir. Subsequently, a thorough investigation determined that the water quality was basically good. The source of the odour was suggested to be oxygen-dependent actinobacteria and streptomyces. Experts suggested measures to reduce the turbidity of the water: reforestation to reduce erosion, a protected area along the shore of the reservoir, and processing the wastewater from the settlements and farms in the surrounding area.^[3]