Built in 1973 as a reservoir part of the Tisza River flood control project, when finished in the 1990s the result was a 127 km² lake. Hungarians began to flock to the site for holidays, since it compared favorably with the more crowded and expensive Lake Balaton, the traditional holiday site. As a result, tourist infrastructure has been developed on the reservoir and the government has designated it an official tourism destination.

See also Lake Tisza website