Eco-hydrology is a new discipline developed in recent decades. It is of great significance to accelerate and promote the development of eco-hydrology subject by constructing a perfect discipline system and formulating future development strategies. By reviewing a large number of literatures, this paper systematically combed and expounded the development and evolution of the eco-hydrology, which can be divided into five stages, the embryonic period of eco-hydrology (1970-1986), formulation terminology and the initial exploration period of eco-hydrology (1987-1991), discipline establishment and the initial development period of eco-hydrology (1992-1995), the rapid development period of eco-hydrology (1996-2007) and the improvement period of eco-hydrology (2008-present). Based on the analysis of the development of eco-hydrology, the disciplinary system of eco-hydrology was proposed as a framework of “theory-method-practice-branch discipline”. Finally, combined with the authors’ understanding, this paper put forward the development strategy system of the eco-hydrology, including the disciplinary research plan, the key research project, the country’s major demand, the discipline construction and the international cooperation, which will provide support for the promotion and establishment of a sound disciplinary system of eco-hydrology.