21世纪将是知识经济占主导地位的时代 ,知识经济的一系列新的特征及所引起的相应的社会变革 ,为我国河流地貌学的发展提供了新的机遇 ,同时也对传统地貌学提出了严峻的挑战。充分发挥河流地貌学的传统优势 ,利用现代高科技手段 ,加强理论创新研究 ,促进研究成果的转化 ,是我们为迎接知识经济时代 ,从当前就应该着手准备解决的问题。

This paper reviewed the achievements of the study on fluvial geomorphology in China from the 40s, the foundation of the fluvial geomorphology, to the 90s, the attaining the leading level over the world in some study field, in the 20th century. The study on fluvial geomorphology in China has its distinct advantages in that China has various types of landscapes, historically recorded data, and perfect field meteorological, hydrological monitoring stations. It also has its obvious disadvantages because of its lagged facilities. The era of knowledge economy will eventually dominate the coming century. And the new characteristics of the knowledge economy and the arousing innovation of society and thoughts on human being will give the fluvial geomorphology new opportunities as well as severe challenges. The coming era will give the study of fluvial geomorphology high technological facilities, multi-sources of accurate data and fund support. And the new era will also request the study of fluvial geomorphology to fit the new market situation. To meet the era of knowledge economy, we should get use of fully the conventional advantages and modern high technology and equipment to enforce the creative study and the transition of the result into product from now. Thus, some strategies about knowledge innovation in fluvial geomorphology are offered in this paper.