In a high earthen dam with a reinforced-concrete shield, the appearance of significance tensile stresses, and, consequently, through cracks is possible in the shield. To improve the reliability and adaptation to repair of the dam, it is proposed that a zone of rocks strengthened by a cement grout (grout-cement concrete) be placed beneath the shield. Based on analyses, however, use of a rigid sub-shield zone supported on a rock base will result in bending deformations of the zone, and a reinforced-concrete shield that will induce tension in the shield. Adesign where a rigid sub-shield zone mated with the base was found to be more successful. Analyses of the stress-strain state of the dam in the three-dimensional statement indicated that the sub-shield zone smoothes the bending stresses of the shield in the proposed design, reducing tensile stresses in the latter, and relative displacements in the vertical joints.