According to the longitudinal profiles of river terraces of Yellow River and its branch rivers in Lanzhou and adjacent region, the deformation characteristics of river terraces which cross active faults are studied. The extents and rates of tectonic ascent in Lanzhou and adjacent region are confirmed with the grow th and deformation characteristics of the river terraces at positions where the Yellow River terraces cross Xinglong-Maxian mountain fault and Haiyuan Fault, and the Zhuanglang River terraces cross a NWW branch fault of Zhuanglanghe fault.