Ecological water compensation plays very important role for the restoration of natural properties of polluted water body and the reconstruction of landscape function of a river. In order to cooperate the restoration of Dianchi Lake,the paper took old Yunliang river of a typical river into the lake as research object,defined and calculated the ecological water requirement based on its function of flood storage, ecological regulation and landscape provision. It simultaneously considered the economy of water cost to revise the ecological water requirement based on satisfaction degree.After revision,the amount of ecological water requirements of tributaries Xiaolu Ditch, Qimu Ditch and the river's downstream section are 3100 m3/d, 19000 m3/d and 34000 m3/d respectively with the satisfaction degrees of ecological economy of 80%, 80% and 100% accordingly.The paper conducted a significant practice for the calculation of ecological water requirement and the balance of real cost and benefit,and can provide certain reference for the program design of ecological water compensation of urban artificial rivers.