Abstract: As China's urbanization accelerates, the population of large cities is growing rapidly. Urban waste water discharge is also increasing, resulting in surface water quality falling below the standards. This paper presents a prediction of surface water quality that is improved using combined measures ? a near-future measure of intercepting a small portion of the sewage for treatment and replenishing a certain amount of ecological water and a long-term measure of intercepting most of the sewage for treatment ? based on the requirements by the surface water quality standards. We examine different schemes in a case study of the Qinhuai River basin using the field survey data of water quality and a water quality mathematical model. The results show that in the near future (2017-2020), the surface water quality standards can be met through certain construction in this drainage area, intercepting 35% of the sewage for treatment, and replenishing ecological water of 30 m3/s to the new Qinhuai River branch. And in the long term (2020-2025), apart from continuing the construction, the sewage treatment should reach Class IV and 80% of the sewage should be treated. Our joint method of sewage interception and ecological replenishment to braided river channels provides a new measure for improving surface water quality in the river basins where large cities are located.