Abstract: The sand industry is a knowledge-intensive industry, and its vigorous development an inevitable choice for growth of western China, construction of ecological civilization, and poverty reduction. The sand industry increases the demand for water resources, meaning thatwater resources shortages have already become an important factor restricting th sand industry development, especially in arid areas. As the province with the largest area of sandy land in China, Xinjiang has been used as the region of study in this paper. Xinjiang’s climate is characterized as extremely dry, with an annual average precipitation of approximately 150 mm. Thus, the carrying capacity of water resources has become an important factor restricting social and economic development and ecosystem stability in Xinjiang. To evaluate the current status of the sand industry and the carrying capacity of water resources in Xinjiang, this study used land use/land cover RS interpretation data in Xinjiang from four phases (2000, 2005, 2010, and 2015) alongwith related data on the Water Resources Bulletin and the Statistical Yearbook in Xinjiang. This study analyzed sand industry development in Xinjiang in the last 16 years by calculating the amount of farmland, forest land, and grassland converted from unused land. Additionally, the study calculated the water footprint in Xinjiang during 2000 – 2015 and evaluated carrying capacity of regional water resources by combining the water footprint model and evaluation indices of the carrying capacity of regional water resources. The analyses found that (1) the sand industry in Xinjiang developed rapidly with population growth and economic development in Xinjiang during 2000- 2015.Additionally, partially unused land and grasslands, including sandy land and portions of the Gobi Desert, were developed into arable land, forest land, land occupied by mining and towns, and land occupied by urban and rural residents. (2) The water footprint in Xinjiang as a whole increased, with the water footprint of consumed agricultural products accounting for a majority of that increase.The water footprint amount of consumed agricultural products increased rapidly, which was mainly caused by the vigorous development of the sand industry in Xinjiang and the use of unused land and grassland for growing medicinal and other plants. (3) The per capita water footprint, water resource pressure index, and water footprint benefit index in Xinjiang showed an increasing trend; however, their values were all significantly lower than China’s overall per capita levels. The general social and economic development trend in Xinjiang was good; however, water resource utilization was still relatively extensive and water resources were not properly developed. These results suggest that the industrial structure in Xinjiang should be optimized, and the planting proportion of various crops and the water use structure should be adjusted.These changes would enhance the development scale of the sand industry, which is supported by water resources. This paper providesevidence for the adjustment of the region’s industrial structure and water resources consumption pattern.

Key words: sand industry, water resources, water footprint, carrying capacity