In August 2003, rock blasting operations began to excavate an anticipated volume of 26 million cubic metres of material to build the 207 metre high Concrete Faced Rock fill Dam with
a design volume of 15.5 million cubic metres of graded rock fill.

However, due to geological conditions, it was increased to 43 million cubic metres of excavation to produce approximately 17 million cubic metres of graded rockfill material for the construction of the dam.