Abstract: The advances in research of the environmental flow methodolodies for rivers(EFMR)since 1980 are reviewed,including the studed status quo,and the types of methodologies and developing trends.In foreign countries,a suit of integrated method system is established from the hydrological methodologies with single hydrological elements to the holistic methodologies with the multidiscipline of learning.And in future,a comprehensive suit of methodologies,founded on best practice and sufficiently flexible to meet the needs of each situation and country,will become popular throuth an internationally collaborative research effort.In china,the research of EFMR is still in primary stage with most qualitative analysis and few quantitative analysis such as Tennant method,7Q10 etc.The emphasis will be on fundamental study and the development of EFMR adapted to the needs of our county(or basin,or regions).At the same time,study areas will shift from the arid and semiarid North to the South with abundant water resources.