The Hydraulic Engineering School is a key academic unit of the university. In 2006, it became one of the first 28 backbone departments under the National Model Vocational College Construction Program. In 2019, the university was selected as a high-level vocational institution with Chinese characteristics (Tier A) — ranking among the top 10 nationally, the only in Henan Province, the only in central China, and the sole representative in the water conservancy sector. The School's Water Conservancy and Hydropower Construction Engineering program cluster was included in the High-Level Specialty Construction Program with Chinese Characteristics. In 2025, the university was again listed in the national "Double High Plan," with the same program cluster advancing to the second phase of high-level specialty group construction. It has ranked first in the "Golden Apple" Higher Vocational Specialty Competitiveness Ranking for water conservancy disciplines for five consecutive years.

Currently, the Hydraulic Engineering School offers two vocational undergraduate programs: Agricultural Water Conservancy Engineering and Water Resources and Hydropower Engineering. Additionally, it provides 13 specialized programs and tracks, including Hydrology and Water Resources Technology, Water Conservancy Engineering, Smart Water Conservancy Technology, Water Conservancy and Hydropower Engineering Technology (Construction), Water Conservancy and Hydropower Engineering Technology (Inspection), Water Conservancy and Hydropower Construction Engineering, River Regulation and Waterway Engineering Technology, Hydropower Station Equipment Installation and Management, Soil and Water Conservation Technology, Water Ecological Restoration Technology, Hydrology and Engineering Geology, Safety Technology and Management, and Engineering Cost (Water Conservancy Engineering). The School has an enrollment of over 3,500 students. The School's talent cultivation achievements in serving the water conservancy sector have been highly praised by Mr. Huang Daren, Chairman of the National "Double High Plan" Construction Advisory Committee and former President of Sun Yat-sen University. Its accomplishments have been frequently reported by mainstream media outlets such as People's Daily, China Central Television (CCTV), and Guangming Daily.

The School boasts a strong faculty with 104 full-time teachers, including 13 professors, 31 associate professors (senior-level), 21 PhD holders, and 19 PhD candidates, with "dual-qualified" teachers accounting for 85% of the faculty. Over 20 faculty members have been recognized with honors such as National Course Ideology and Politics Teaching Excellence Award, Outstanding Teacher of Huang Yanpei Vocational Education Award, Henan Provincial Outstanding Teacher, and Henan Vocational Education Teaching Expert. The School houses 1 National "Double Leader" Teacher Party Branch Secretary Studio, 1 National Model Party Branch, 1 Henan Provincial "Double Leader" Teacher Party Branch Secretary Studio. It has been designated as a Henan Provincial Model Party Committee. In terms of teaching teams, the School has 1 National-Level Teaching Team, 1 National Vocational Education Teacher Teaching Innovation Team, 1 National Course Ideology and Politics Teaching Team, 1 National Huang Danian-Style Teaching Team, and 7 Provincial-Level Teaching Teams. It has also been honored as a Henan Provincial Advanced Collective in Education. Additionally, the School operates 1 National Vocational Education Teacher Teaching Innovation Team Training Center, 1 National "Dual-Qualified" Teacher Training Center (Water Conservancy Category), and 1 National Water Conservancy Technical and Skilled Talents Training Center.

The School has led the achievement of 5 National Teaching Achievement Awards. It spearheaded the formulation of 7 occupational standards for the water conservancy sector in the National Occupational Classification, and led or participated in developing 82 national vocational education standards, including integrated secondary-higher-undergraduate program directories, program profiles, and teaching standards. The School has developed 1 National Vocational Education Teaching Resource Database, 8 National-Level Quality Courses, 8 National-Level Quality Resource-Sharing Courses, 4 National-Level Quality Online Open Courses, and 7 National-Level Online Premium Courses. Additionally, faculty members have authored 109 national and industry-planned textbooks, including new-format publications. The School operates integrated, open-access educational platforms such as China Digital Water Conservancy Museum and Boxue Water Conservancy Platform. Students have won over 90 national awards, including: First Prizes in National Vocational College Skills Competitions, 16 championships in 18 years at the National College Students' Innovation Competition of Advanced Drawing Technology and Product Information Modeling. They have also secured more than 300 provincial-level honors.

The School has established the Vocational Education Headquarters of Dam Engineering Hospital and the Yellow River Conservancy Technical University Branch, both led by Academician Wang Fuming, and actively participates in the construction of the Yellow River Laboratory (Henan). The School spearheaded the founding of the China Water Conservancy Vocational Education Group (one of the first National Model Vocational Education Groups). It operates 4 provincial-level and 10 municipal-level engineering research centers, including Henan Provincial Inter-Basin Water Diversion Operation & Ecological Security Engineering Research Center, and Henan Provincial Small Watershed Eco-Hydraulic Engineering Technology Research Center. The School has secured 3 National Natural Science Foundation projects and 8 Henan Provincial Natural Science Foundation grants, while completing over 200 technical service projects including hydraulic model testing for Angola's Caculo Cabaça Hydropower Station and scale-model experiments for the Louli Regulating Reservoir in China's South-North Water Diversion Project. Our campus features 30+ specialized training facilities such as the Kunpengshan Hydropower Training Base, Yellow River Engineering Anlan Hospital, Yellow River Engineering Cultural Corridor, and Hydraulic Engineering Pilot Testing Base. Off-campus, we've established 100+ practice bases including the Yellow River Pearl Industry College, Three Gorges Dam, Xiaolangdi Multipurpose Dam Project, and key South-North Water Diversion facilities. Globally, we've founded 4 Dayu Schools overseas, educating 700+ international professionals and 300+ degree students, while achieving international accreditation for 7 programs and developing 9 national occupational standards plus 30+ curriculum frameworks for five African nations including Tanzania and South Africa.