As the snow pillows in the mountains above the Red Deer River basin begin to melt in May and June, feeding the Red Deer River and its tributaries, the annual fill cycle of the Gleniffer Reservoir begins. Water from the Red Deer River basin will flow into the Gleniffer Reservoir to be captured and stored, and released into the Red Deer River watershed via the Dickson Dam located approximately 180 kilometres northwest of the Town of Drumheller.