To reduce networking costs and ensure UWSNs’(underwater wireless sensor networks) high coverage ratio of the monitoring area, a 3D layered hybrid deployment strategy is proposed. To accomplish automatic networking and transmit the messages collected effectively, a vertical clustering routing algorithm compatible with the above-mentioned deployment  strategy is presented. The algorithm periodically divides the nodes into multi-hop vertical clusters and synchronously establishes the routing paths by using of information such as nodes’ position and energy. Meanwhile, the network voids can be detected and treated by using of feedback information. Simulation results show that the joint design for UWSNs not only can reduce networking costs significantly, but also can improve network performance in many aspects, such as packet delivery ratio and energy efficiency.