All rivers in Baiyun district of Guangzhou, South China's Guangdong province, belong to the Pearl River system. Affected by local topography, a majority of them flow through the district from northeast to southwest, east to west, or north to south and eventually merge into the Pearl River, the Baini River and the Liuxi River. Some of them pass through Tianhe district into the Dongjiang River.

Major rivers in Baiyun include the Liuxi River, Baini River, Pearl River (the western waterway) and Nan'gang River.

The Liuxi River originates from Guifeng Mountain in Conghua district and got its name as the convergence of many creeks and streams. Its main stream stretches for 157 kilometers and covers a catchment area of 2,300 square kilometers.

The Baiyun section of the main stream of the Liuxi River extends 50 kilometers long and covers a catchment area of 529 square kilometers. It runs into Baiyun district at Banhu village of Zhongluotan township, treks across a large number of villages from northeast to southwest in the district, and eventually joins the Baini River near Yagang Village, emptying into the west channel of the Pearl River.

Many small and medium-sized reservoirs and dams have been built along the upper reaches of the Liuxi River in Conghua and Huadu districts over the past seven decades to better develop and utilize the water resources for flow regulation and agricultural irrigation.

The Baini River, also known as Bajiang River, springs in Tiantang Peak of Huadu district, merges into the Xinjie River at Zhouzuikou of Baiyun, and then flows into the western waterway of the Pearl River together with the Liuxi River. The main stream of the Baini River is about 53 kilometers long and covers a catchment area of 788 square kilometers. Its main tributaries include Lubaochong, Xinanchong and Guotai rivers.

The Baini River is a major route for the Beijiang River to divert its floodwater during the flood period, which poses risks to Shenshan, Jianggao, Shijing and Xinshi areas.

Baiyun is home to16 kilometers of mainstreams of the Pearl River which cover an area of roughly 130 square kilometers. Shijing and Xinshichong rivers are two major tributaries of the Pearl River flowing in the district.

The Nan'gang River rises in Luogang subdistrict of Huangpu district, flows through a number of villages and eventually empties into the Dongjiang River. Stretching for 27 kilometers long, it covers a catchment area of 145 square kilometers. Sixteen kilometers of the river are located in Baiyun, and a reservoir with a storage capacity of 816 cubic meters has been put in place in the upstream of the river to control the flow.

Meanwhile, Baiyun is home to Baiyun Lake, the largest man-made lake in Guangzhou, which covers an area of 2.07 square kilometers and boasts a water area of 1.06 square kilometers, surpassing the combined area of Dongshan, Liwan, Liuhua and Luhu lakes in the city.

Guangzhou municipal government is planning to build another man-made lake, which is to be called the Baihaimian Lake, in Baiyun district, which will cover 4.5 square kilometers.