The sludge dredging methods such as draining dredging, underwater dredging and environmental protection dredging, etc. for the river, especially small and medium sized river in China were reviewed. The application scope, the advantages and disadvantages of all kinds of sludge dredging methods were analyzed. In the meantime, the technologies of pollution silt passivation treatment, yard sludge processing and sludge recycling treatment were introduced, and the application scopes of those technologies were analyzed. Technologies of river dredging and silt utilization were prospected. The purpose of this paper is to provide references for river dredging and sludge treatment in our country.