With the impact of rainfall, soil nutrient transported along soil particles and water into surface runoff. It decreased soil fertility, polluted water resources in surface and ground, and then induced a series of ecological environmental problems, which attracted more attentions of researchers at home and abroad. The objectives of the study mainly focused on the development of both the mechanism and controlling measures of soil nutrient transport proposed by researchers all over the world. For the mechanism, the impact of different factors on soil nutrient transport was mainly discussed, and the empirical models and physical based mathematical models were also discussed. Besides, all mentioned physical based models were based on the inner mechanism of nutrient transfer, including the theory of mixing depth, convection and dispersion, the impact of raindrop and water scouring. For the controlling measures, methods protecting soil and nutrients from erosion and runoff were proposed with consideration of serious erosion phenomenon in China. Meanwhile, the existed problem and further study work were also discussed.