Abstract: The effect of urban nonpoint source pollution(NSP)on Chinas'water quality is being increasingly intensified.However,the regulation of polution has not been well established yet. Institutional deficits,insufficient information and lack of decision supports have been identified as three major restrictive factors in the practice of urban NSP management. Over the short term,laying a solid foundation for pollution in formation would be the first priority for the improvement of urban NSP management practice,which could also inspire institutional innovation.The long-term goal should be the establishment of a perfect institutional system to effectively addressing Chinas'pollution problems.Experiences on the institutional design and regulatory in formation developm ent from developed countries can provide China with valuable and intuitive references on the subject. Furthermore,advanced decision support techniques are critical to the success of the management practices.The latest in ternational development of urban NSP management showsChina directions for future research.