The possible mitigation of floods by dams and the risk to dams from floods are key problems. The People's Republic of China is now leading world dam construction with great success and efficiency. This paper is devoted to relevant experiences from other countries, with a particular focus on lessons from accidents over the past two centuries and on new solutions. Accidents from floods are analyzed according to the dam's height, storage, dam material, and spillway data. Most of the huge accidents that have been reported occurred for embankments storing over 10 hm³. New solutions appear promising for both dam safety and flood mitigation.