The Enoggera Dam, the Gold Creek Dam and the Mount Crosby Weir were built to supply water to Brisbane but could not meet growing demand. A site upstream from the creek's confluence with the Brisbane River was selected as this was the next catchment to the west in the D'Aguilar Range. The designer was Allan Hazen, an American engineer. Construction of the Lake Manchester Dam commenced in 1912 and when it was completed in 1916, it was the fourth-oldest dam in Queensland and was originally called the Cabbage Tree Creek Dam. The dam was renamed in 1916 in honour of E. J. T. Manchester, the president of the Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board. In 1924 the elevation of the bywash was raised which added to the dams capacity.