Abstract: The Yangtze River serves as a vital foundation for the development of the Yangtze River Economic Belt and constitutes the most crucial water source for the urban agglomerations along the river. The occurrence of extreme low water levels in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River in 2022 had a significant impact on the water supply security of the cities along the river, thereby exposing the substantial threat faced by water intake projects along the river during periods of low water level.Building upon existing research findings and considering the background of the continuous construction of key controlled reservoirs in upstream trunk and tributaries and the increased frequency of extreme drought disasters, this paper elucidates the future trends of drought conditions in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River from the perspectives of reservoir flood storage and replenishment scheduling, dry river channel cutting, and the impact of drought weather. It analyzes the impact on water intake levels, water quality assurance, and the capacity of estuarine water intake projects to counteract saltwater intrusion.during declining water levels of drought periods Furthermore, corresponding strategies and recommendations are proposed.