The emergency management of barrier lakes has attracted wide attention in China since the Wenchuan Earthquake in Sichuan province in 2008. The emergency management process is presented on the basis of analyzing the causes and evolving features of  barrier lakes. The emergency management strategies system is discussed according to the principles of classified management, graded response and phased treatment. It is suggested that the emergency management system for barrier lakes should be involved in the national flood and drought management framework. Owing to its complexity, in the short term, the emergency management system should be more tightly associated with related administration departments especially in the field of monitoring and information sharing, where as in the long term, regional integrated emergency management agency should be established. The emergency management should focus on mitigating the primary disasters to reduce the occurrence possibility of barrier  lakes. Risk mapping, monitoring and information sharing network construction should be priorities on the agenda.