The　river　sediment　contains　a　lot　of　pollutants　in　many　cases,　and　needs　to　be　treated　appropriately　for　the　restoration　of　water　environments.　In　this　study,　a　novel　method　was　developed　to　convert　river　sediment　into　denitrifying　sludge　in　a　sequencing　batch　reactor　(SBR).　The　river　sediment　was　added　into　the　reactor　daily　and　the　hydraulic　retention　time　(HRT)　of　the　reactor　was　gradually　reduced　from　8　to　4　h.　The　reactor　achieved　in　the　NO3-N　removal　efficiency　of　85%　with　the　NO3-N　removal　rate　of　0.27　kg　N　m(-3)　d(-1).　Response　surface　analysis　represents　that　nitrate　removal　was　affected　mainly　by　HRT,　followed　by　sediment　addition.　The　denitrifying　sludge　achieved　the　highest　activity　with　the　following　conditions:　NO3-N　50　mgl(-1),　HRT　6　h　and　adding　6　ml　river　sediments　to　1　l　wastewater　of　reactor　per　day.　As　a　result,　the　cultivated　denitrifying　sludge　could　remove　80%　NO3-N　for　real　municipal　wastewater,　and　the　high-throughput　sequence　analysis　indicated　that　major　denitrifying　bacteria　genera　and　the　relative　abundance　in　the　cultivated　denitrifying　sludge　were　Diaphorobacter　(33.82%)　and　Paracoccus　(24.49%).　The　river　sediments　cultivating　method　in　this　report　can　not　only　obtain　denitrifying　sludge,　but　also　make　use　of　sediment　resources,　which　has　great　application　potential.