Abstract: The drought-limited water level (flow) of a river section is an important indicator of drought in the basin.This can be used as the key basis for starting an emergency response and guiding drought-relief dispatch in water conservancy projects.In this paper, with the aim to examine the related concepts and technical problems of the drought limit water level in the river section, the connotation of the drought limit water level (flow) of the river section is improved.It is the threshold that characterizes the dry state of the river, to determine the water shortage risk and its effect on the social economy and ecological environment.Considering the different degrees of drought and the laws on water use in drought periods, a method for determining the drought limit water level (flow) that is suitable for different types of river sections is proposed from the perspective of grading and staging.The applicability and sustainability of the algorithm for resource use and otherwise constrained river sections are verified with examples from the Lintong section of the Weihe River and the Liaojiawan section of the Fuhe River.This study provides a general algorithm to support flood and drought disaster prevention departments in setting drought limit water level (flow) in river sections and can provide a scientific basis and technical support for drought warning decision-making.