<![CDATA[Dams are hydraulic structures designed to store water or retain sediment and mud. Although they provide significant benefits, they also involve substantial risks and require considerable financial investment. The selection of an appropriate dam type for a specific location must be based on a comprehensive evaluation of feasible dam alternatives, considering various factors, including topography, hydrology, foundation geology, economic feasibility, social conditions, and environmental impacts. Since selecting a dam site and type involves multiple criteria, an appropriate multicriteria decision-making approach is necessary. Currently, Multi-Criteria Decision-Making (MCDM) methods have been widely applied to assess dam construction priorities, particularly in determining the most suitable dam sites and types. This study employs a hybrid multicriteria decision-making approach integrating the Delphi method, the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP), and the Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS). Primary data were collected through questionnaires administered to experts from various institutions with relevant knowledge and experience in dam engineering and construction. The Delphi method was used to screen and refine the criteria, subcriteria, and sub-subcriteria, while the Kruskal–Wallis test was applied to assess differences in expert assessments. The results of the AHP analysis indicate that environmental factors are the most influential criteria in selecting suitable dam sites and types.]]>
