Water control has always been a critical aspect of national governance and stability. China’s modern water control efforts have entered a new historical phase, requiring more advanced research. Summarizing the research progress on China’s modern water control and accurately identifying key future research tasks are crucial for advancing the water conservancy modernization. By outlining the main development of ancient and modern water control in China, the research progress on modern water control was summarized in terms of significant theories, key methods, and representative practices. Addressing future development needs in water control, this paper identifies key research frontiers for modern water control in China, including national macro water strategies, micro water scientific issues, integrated monitoring systems, smart simulation systems, intelligent service systems, water science research related to ecology, water disaster prevention and control, and efficient water utilization.