Background and objective: The storage dams always cause environmental problems and the occurrence of various risks due to the creation of major changes in ecological balance and water quality changes. The purpose of the present study is to identify and prioritize the general and special risks related to the Haraz dam including natural and manmade disasters as well as manage the risks.

Method: in this paper, the Analytic hierarchy process (AHP) method and the Expert choice software was used in order to select and prioritize the most important risks related to Haraz dam. Finally, solutions were presented to properly manage the risks related to Haraz dam.

Findings: After creating a hierarchical tree, pair-wise comparison matrix of main criteria for risk assessment as well as risk factors, the results obtained in the first stage criteria (the effects on individual, environment, economy, and the society) were prioritized respectively in terms of importance. Also, after scoring risk factors, separated based on two sub-criteria of intensity and frequency of occurrence, 10 risk factors were identified and selected among 20 risk factors in the first phase to enter the second stage. After entering 10 risk factors in the second questionnaire and scoring them according to main criteria, three most important risks related to Haraz dam were determined including earthquakes and induced earthquake, floods and pollution of the lake, respectively.

Conclusion: According to the most important risks threatening the dam, the solutions of creation of delayed and rubber dams and water diversion channels, strengthening the natural walls of natural dam lake, training exercises, notification systems with passive defense measures in earthquake risk, the solutions of engineering activities of watershed in upstream of the dam, engineering operations in the river downstream of the dam, with the aim of breaking the flow of water in flood risk and finally, the solutions of fixing landfill with the construction of underground dam, constructing advanced water treatment plants in the upstream, constructing advanced incineration plants, and exploitation of obtained energy in the risk of contamination of the dam lake were selected and prioritized as the most effective risk management solutions for Haraz dam of Amol city.