A summary was made on the the driving factors of mid-long term runoff evolution as well as the classification of mid-long term runoff prediction methods and models from angles of development processes and research methods. The research progress of mid-long term runoff prediction was reviewed from four aspects, including research techniques, physical causes, data-driven models, and prediction uncertainty, and the deficiencies in the research of the key driving factors of runoff and their driving mechanisms, the physical interpretability of data-driven methods, and the uncertainty of prediciton were analyzed. It is pointed out that future research should focus on physical causes of mid-long term runoff evolution, the applicability and reliability of prediction methods, and application of relevant research results of mid-long term runoff evolution.