The heavy metal contents in the sediment were investigated on Nantong Hao River. The pollution of heavy metal was evaluated with the potential ecological risk index method, the geo-accumulation Index method and the comprehensive pollution index method. The tendency of the heavy metal contents during 2001-2011 was analyzed. The results demonstrated that the pollution had reached a medium degree and the ecological risk had reached a high degree. Cd, which had a high toxicity coefficient, had a higher potential ecological risk than the other heavy metal. More emphasis should be placed on Cd control in the next step.