Abstract: At present, researches on estuarine water resources are focused on seawater intrusion, water quality and ecological environment. In this paper, the characteristics of estuarine water resources are summarized, and the recent research progresses on estuarine water resources are presented from the following four aspects: seawater intrusion, adverse impact of human activities, evaluation of estuarine river health, and estuary management. As the economy grows, increasing attention will be paid to estuarine river health. Researches on the characteristics of estuarine water resources and the estuarine region’s socioeconomic demand should be strengthened to support the socioeconomic development and eco-environmental protection.

Key words: estuary, water resources, impact of human activity