Abstract: Situated in the southern part of Tarim Basin,Xinjiang,Hotan River watershed is rich in sunshine,heat,water and land resources,and has a great potentiality for developing agriculture and animal husbandry.However,the ecological environment in the watershed is extremely fragile,the environmental disasters occur frequently,and the great impacts of exploitation and utilization of water resources and regional development to the ecological environment can not be avoided.This paper discusses the ecological environment change and the direct and indirect impacts of exploitation and utilization of water reources as well as the regional development to the ecological environment in Hotan River watershed,Xinjiang.It is pointed out that the per capita area of cultivated farmland is reduced by 100% due to rapid population growth,and the natural vegetation is seriously degenerated by big consumption of fuel because of the shortage of coal and power supply.Some countermeasures and suggestions are put forward,they are to use water in a rational and saving way,complete the exploitation and utilization pattern of water resources in Hotan River Watershed,improve the ecological conditions,optimize the industrial structure,protect the ecological environment,build up the information management system of water resources,control population growth,monitoring the dynamic balance of popupation,resources and environment,etc.

Key words: water resources, ecological environment, Hotan river watershed