Hydrological　connectivity　is　important　for　the　long-term　persistence　of　water-dependent　organism　inhabiting　floodplain　and　coastal　wetlands,　as　surface-water　patches　not　only　create　temporary　habitats　for　them,　but　also　provide　dispersal　opportunities.　Improving　understanding　of　how　hydrological　connectivity　varies　with　respect　to　surface-water　dynamics　is　an　important　step　to　maintain　biodiversity　in　dynamic　coastal　environments.　Using　a　series　of　available　remote　sensing　images,　we　extracted　surface-water　patches　across　a　12-year　(2006–2017)　and　assessed　the　corresponding　hydrological　connectivity　using　the　landscape　connectivity　metrics.　Furthermore,　we　identified　important　surface-water　patches　serve　as　connectivity　providers　in　surface-water　networks.　Particularly,　the　threshold　distance,　needed　for　analysis　of　hydrological　connectivity,　was　determined　by　“Distance-　Landscape　Connectivity　Metrics”　curves.　We　focused　on　China＇s　Yellow　River　Delta　(YRD),　a　globally　significant　floodplain　and　coastal　wetland.　Results　showed　that　hydrological　connectivity,　fluctuating　in　a　range　of　0.0726　to　0.0908　during　2006-2017,　varied　with　the　number　and　spatial　distribution　of　water　patches.　Our　study　highlight　that　water　patches　in　Dawenliu　Restoration　(DR)　could　serve　as　ideal　high-priority　targets　for　specific　management　aimed　at　maintaining　or　improving　hydrological　connectivity.　We　also　found　that　the　suitable　threshold　distance　for　analyzing　hydrological　connectivity　of　the　Yellow　River　Delta　National　Natural　Reserve　(YRDNR)　is　500　m.　©　2020　European　Regional　Centre　for　Ecohydrology　of　the　Polish　Academy　of　Sciences