ðə ɹˈɛzɚvwˌɑːɹ wʌz fˈɔːɹmd æz pˈɑːɹt ʌvðə bˈɪldɪŋ ʌvðɪ ˈɔːələnd hˌaɪdɹoʊɪlˈɛktɹɪk pˈaʊɚ stˈeɪʃən ɪnðə nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd sˈɪksti z ænd nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd sˈɛvənti z wɛn ɐ ɹˈɑːkfˈɪl dˈæm wʌz bˈɪlt æt ðɪ ˈɛnd ʌvðə lˈeɪk vˈɪdɐlsvˌætnɪt.
The reservoir was formed as part of the building of the Aurland Hydroelectric Power Station in the 1960s and 1970s when a rock-fill dam was built at the end of the lake Viddalsvatnet.