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.
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.