Abstract: Since constant dry up of the Yellow River in the 1970s,the situation has become more and more serious up to now.The dry up has happened not only in the lower reaches but also in its headwaters.The major reason accountable for this the sharp increase in the amount of water diverted from the Yellow River for consumption in the basin abrupt decrease in the amount of water arriving to the lower reaches,especially the rise of water consumption in the lower reaches since the 1970s. Second ly,soil loss in the middle reaches is absolutely serious,so the amount of water used to carrying sediment is great as well as the adjustable abilities of the projects in the middle reaches are insufficient.Fundamentally,human activities are the very cause for the dry up,a result of abuse of both water and land resources of the Yellow River basin.The normal fluctuation of precipitation has no great and direct impact on the dry up.And soil and water conservation in the upper and the middle reaches can alleviate it.In order to hold back it,we must control development of irrigated area,adjust the crop distribution,reduce water wasted,add amount of water for ecological consumption,so as to improve eco environment,and prevent sediment entering Yellow River.Although interbasin water transfer is one of the important measures to solve water shortage issue in cities of northern China,yet it should be carefully planned to give the matter further thought and discussion.

Key words: Yellow Rive, dry up tendency, causes, control measures