Training Manual . RSMU Publishing House, St. Petersburg, 2000, 43 p. Issues related to the substantiation of the criteria for the optimal location of the regime hydrological network are considered. The proposed approach is based on a stochastic model of river flow formation. This makes it possible to better understand the advantages and disadvantages of the currently used methodology for locating points of observation of water consumption ,. identify the relationship between the issues of optimization of waste and sedimentary networks , and also outline the prospect of further studies of the optimization problem, taking into account the nonlinear effects of flow formation. Addressed to specialists, graduate students and students of universities engaged in hydrometeorology and water management .