The construction of the Empangan Timah Tasoh began in 1987 and was completed in 1992 at a cost of approximately RM24.5 million. It was named after the two rivers that feed it: Sungai Timah and Sungai Tasoh. The dam serves a triple purpose: providing domestic and industrial water supply, irrigation for over 3,000 hectares of paddy fields, and essential flood control for the state of Perlis. The most poignant aspect of its history is that the reservoir sits atop what was once a thriving community. To create the 13.3 km² catchment area, the village of Kampung Tasoh was submerged, and its residents were relocated to Felcra Lubuk Sireh. During extreme dry spells, such as the El Niño phenomenon in 2023, the water level recedes enough to reveal the "sunken village," exposing old asphalt roads, building foundations, and even the remnants of a local cemetery—a haunting reminder of the lives once lived on the lakebed.