This paper quantifies the impacts of climate variability and human activities on streamflow in the Chao River catchment near Beijing from 1986 to 1998. The year 1990 is found to be an inflection point for the impact of human activities. Streamflow is simulated for before and after 1990; monthly flow is simulated for the latter period. The contribution rate of climate to streamflow change in the catchment is found to be 17%; thus, the impact of human activities was far greater than that of climate variability over the entire period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]