Abstract: The concept of reservoir dam risk was put forward. The content and procedure of dam risk assessment were analyzed. The frame structure of dam risk assessment was achieved. According to the content of dam risk assessment, current research progress of damrisk in China was summarized from nine aspects, such as evaluation method, flood- control risk, dam- break mode, dam- break flood, dam- break probability, dam- break consequences, risk diversion, risk standard and risk decision- making. In the end, the development direction of damrisk in the future was forecasted.