To examine the damage causes of warping dams and their impacts on sediment delivery into the Yellow River, the characteristics of the rainstorm process at August 17 and the inflow of water-sediment into the Yellow River were obtained based on the field investigation results of 19 warping dam breaches and the data of hydrological stations and rainfall stations in Xiliugou and Hantaichuan watersheds. According to the structure and operation characteristics of the warping dams, combined with the detailed investigation of the flood-induced damage situation, especially the erosion form at the break sites, the causes of flood-induced damage were analyzed from the aspects of rainfall, planning, design, construction and operation management of the warping dams. The break modes and sand-blocking effects of the warping dams were qualitatively presented. Suggestions are proposed, including optimizing dam-system layout and construction standard, improving the structure of drainage structures, strengthening construction quality management, and paying attention to non-engineering measures such as early warning and prediction.