Abstract: The settlement space represents a result of the coordinated adaptation between people and land, reflecting and documenting the intricate relationship and distinct state of people's production, life, and the natural environment. Under the influence of the river's topographic environment and hydrological characteristics, the spatial pattern of valley-type settlements often demonstrates profound adaptability, deeply coupled with their environmental features. Drawing on a systematic perspective of settlement space, this article integrates cross-disciplinary insights and methods from geography, landscape architecture, and human settlement science. It selects the valley-type Tibetan settlements along the Heishui River as the research focus. Based on the topography, hydrological characteristics, and local features of settlements located in the upstream and downstream regions of the Heishui River, the study categorizes these settlements into two types: flat dam-type and foothill-type. By examining their land use patterns and spatial organization modes, it analyzes the spatial element layout of the settlements, the form of residential clusters, and delve into the adaptation mechanisms of these river valley-type settlements. The findings aim to offer insights and serve as a reference for the preservation, revitalization, planning, and construction of regional settlements.