Abstract: There is a wide and deep water way in the downstream reach of Nanjing of the Yangtze River with ideal natural conditions for navigation. By classifying and analyzing natural conditions of the reach, and considering waterway actuality and external requirement and restriction of both sides, it is found that there are favourable conditions for construction of a deep waterway with 12.5 m depth, and some difficult problems in waterway regulation are pointed out. Then, from the view of integrating the improvement and development of river resources, the basic rule in the regulation of the waterway is presented, and primary regulating notions and engineering measures for some typical shoal reaches are put forward.