Abstract: River functional regionalization services as the precondition for exploiting the functionality in various rivers.In accordance with the characteristics of river functionalities and the requirements of basin management in China, the theoretical basis and principles for river functional regionalization are studied.As a result,a 4-layer classification system for river functional regionalization including the attribute-layer,the zone-layer,the index-layer and the man-agement-layer is established.The corresponding method and classification procedures are also presented.A case study is conducted on the Taipu River using the proposed method.The resulting river functional regionalization is presented and discussed together with the management objectives and strategies of the river.The result shows that the proposed method is sound and feasible,providing a new approach to the practice of river management.