From realizing the importance of building water conservancy because of his personal experience of flood disaster and, to learning and researching the theory and technology of water conservancy, to integrating water conservancy into the economy and people's livelihood, and finally to developing the economy under the premise of ecological protection, the industrialist Zhang Jian continued to form and improve his water conservancy economic thought. Based on his rich water conservancy practice foundation, Zhang Jian created a precedent for our country's water conservancy economic thought and was a pioneer of modern water conservancy economic thought in China. From a scholar-bureaucrat to an industrialist, he not only completed his role change, but also realized his ambition to save the country through industry. Under the background of the new era, the awareness of people's livelihood and ecological protection in Zhangjian's water conservancy economic thought is still shining. On the basis of inheritance and innovation, contemporary water conservancy economic development should adhere to the water conservancy economy to achieve the improvement of the well-being of people's livelihood and make contributions to promoting economic development.