Analyzing the historical water level evolution trend of Lake Dongting is crucial for its protection, ensuring flood control safety and water resource utilization in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River. In order to quantitatively evaluate the characteristics, degree and law of water level change in Lake Dongting in the past 60 years, this study collected the daily water level monitoring data of Lujiao, Yangliutan and Nanzui Hydrological Stations in Lake Dongting from 1961 to 2020. Using statistical approaches including Mann-Kendall test, wavelet analysis, cumulative anomaly, sliding T test, we examined the trend, periodic and mutation of water level change in Lake Dongting. The IHA-RVA method was thereafter used to comprehensively evaluate the water level change degree of each station and the overall water level change degree before and after the mutation year of Lake Dongting. Results indicated that:(1)From 1961 to 2020, the average annual water level at Lujiao Station and Yangliutan Station showed an upward trend, while a downward trend at Nanzui Station. Water levels at the three stations exhibited a periodic significant variation pattern of 4-5 time scales, with the first main period being 55 to 56 years. The years of sudden water level changes at Lujiao Station were at 1979 and 2003, Yangliutan Station were at 1978 and 2003, and Nanzui Station were at 2003, resulted in a comprehensive determination of 2003 as the year of mutation for the three stations.(2)By analyzing the change degree of 32 water level indexes in 5 groups of water level, time, frequency, delay and change rate of the three stations before and after the mutation, it was found that the change degree of water level at Yangliutan Station was greater than that at Lujiao Station and Nanzui Station. The overall water level changes at Lujiao, Yangliutan, and Nanzui stations were 43%, 48%, and 42%, respectively, all of which belong to moderate changes. This study can provide reference and data support for further analyzing the evolution law of the hydrological regime of Lake Dongting, as well as for the rational utilization of water resources and water ecological environment protection in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River river-connected lakes.