Abstract: Deformation monitoring is an important guarantee for the safe operation of water conservancy projects. With the advantages of high precision, all-day and all-climate observation, global satellite navigation system (GNSS) provides new means for deformation monitoring in hydraulic engineering. At present, the deformation monitoring technologies represented by satellite positioning is approaching intelligent development in all processes, all aspects, and all autonomous.Firstly, we focus on the demand of deformation monitoring of water conservancy projects, and review the development of deformation monitoring technology. Then, the application of GNSS deformation monitoring in hydraulic engineering is introduced. Besides, the difficulties and limitations of GNSS deformation monitoring application are discussed. Finally, the development direction of intelligent GNSS deformation monitoring in hydraulic engineering in the future is prospected.