The progress of reservoir nutrient retention was reviewed. Challenges had been risen about whether the huge reservoirsaltered river-borne nutrient transport significantly since controversial results for nutrient retention of reservoirs were found. Mostdocuments supported the conclusion that the reservoirs changed the riverine biogeochemistry process, which resulted in a serial ofimpacts on downstream and estuary. In this paper, we classified nutrient retention by “sediment filter” and “biological andbiochemical filter”, and listed some estimating methods of nutrient retention and efficiencies.