The worldwide research progresses and the existing problems in the ecological basic flow are reviewed from the following aspects: value of water resources, value of water ecological environment, value of ecological basic flow and safeguard compensation. The results show that the quantitative calculation of the value and insurance compensation of the ecological basic flow should be taken as the key point of the future studies. It may provide the theoretical support and scientific basis for the decisionmaking of the ecological basic flow and the scientific management of the limited water resources in dry season in water-deficient areas.