Based on major achievements from the national as well as the provincial-and ministerial-level key scientific and technological projects on regional groundwater evolution during the period from China’s Sixth Five-Year Plan to its Twelfth Five-Year Plan (1981 to 2014), a review is conducted of the main advances in such research over the last 30 years in China. The research on this issue is concentrated in Northern China, and the topic selection and project approval are characterized by time features, and driven by significant social requirements. For example, a national key project on research of regional groundwater evolution at the basin-scale in Northern and Northwestern China has been performed to realize the national development objectives and meet the requirements of regional economic development. Related research in China has revealed the key issues in regional groundwater evolution under the influences of human activities and climate change and demonstrated the time features and necessity of such research.