The construction of this gravity dam in Mattupetty (which used to be called Madupetty by the locals back in time) was commissioned by the Government of Kerala. The construction of this concrete dam began in 1949, only a couple of years after India’s independence from the British.

Mattupetty Dam was fully built within 5 years and opened in 1953. A total of INR 220 lakhs was spent by the government on this dam which over the years has generated a lot of revenue for it. The water which is conserved in the lake is used for the generation of hydroelectricity. The dam remains an important source of electricity.