Abstract: At present， three methods can be used in channel slope stability analysis， which are the rigid limit equilibrium method， the finite element limit equilibrium method and the finite element strength reduction method. In order to compare these three methods and different yield criteria in the slope stability analysis， the stability of a typical and complex channel slope in the South-to-North Water Transfer Project is calculated. The calculated results show that these three methods can get a similar safety factor， while the yield criterion is a great impact factor in a strength reduction method. As the edges and corners of Mohr-Coulomb(M-C) yield criterion can affect the stability of numerical calculation， the third or the forth Drucker-Prager(D-P) criterion which is used to match M-C criterion can take place of M-C criterion in the channel slope stability analysis. In this way， the safety factor would be reasonable and the calculation process would be stable in the finite element strength reduction method.