Based　on　the　complex　geographical　environment　of　river　basins　and　the　top-down　environmental　management　system,　China　has　launched　the　characteristic　river　chief　system.　Taking　the　Yellow　River　basin　as　an　example,　this　study　focuses　on　the　implementation　of　the　river　chief　system　in　the　Yellow　River　basin,　and　investigates　whether　the　river　chief　system　can　help　improve　the　water　environmental　quality　in　the　Yellow　River　basin.　This　study　collected　the　data　of　water　quality　categories　of　the　river　basin,　main　stream　and　main　tributaries　and　the　sections　of　the　Yellow　River　basin　with　major　pollution　indicators　exceeding　the　standard　since　the　implementation　of　the　river　chief　system　in　various　provinces　of　the　Yellow　River　basin,　in　order　to　analyze　whether　the　river　chief　system　has　promoted　the　improvement　of　water　environmental　quality　in　the　Yellow　River　basin,　and　analyzes　the　advantages　and　disadvantages　of　the　river　chief　system　from　the　aspects　of　the　construction　of　the　river　chief　system　norms　and　institutional　Settings.　The　study　found　that,　firstly,　the　river　chief　system　effectively　improved　the　water　environmental　quality　of　the　Yellow　River　basin.　Secondly,　the　river　chief　system　integrates　the　environmental　power　in　the　basin　and　changes　the　traditional　fragmented　management　mode.　Thirdly,　the　system　of　river　chief　has　some　shortcomings　in　the　management　of　trans-provincial　rivers　and　external　supervision,　and　lacks　the　long-term　effect　of　the　system.　Finally,　this　study　puts　forward　some　suggestions　on　how　to　improve　the　river　chief　system,　especially　how　to　make　the　river　chief　system　more　long-term.