Abstract:The Tarim River is the largest inland river in China, and had historically nine river systems and one main stream with 144 rivers. At present, only the Aksu River, the Hetian River, the Yarkant River, and the Kaidu-Kongque River have surface hydraulic connections with the main stream of the Tarim River. The connectivity of river systems and ecological protection in the Tarim River Basin are very prominent. In the past 30 years, the downstream of the cut-off river has become the most serious area of ecological degradation in the Tarim River Basin. Based on field investigation and sample pilot survey, this paper systematically analyzes the problems existing in the river system connectivity of the Tarim River Basin, and points out that the connectivity of the river system is poor and the ability to withstand extreme climatic hydrological events is insufficient. The area of cultivated land continues to expand, and the proportion of agricultural water use is too high, which strongly occupies the ecological water use, leading to the cutoff of river channels, dismember of rivers, and damage to the integrity of river basin water system. The groundwater overexploitation causes the groundwater level to drop sharply, the surface ecology process is damaged, and the ecology hidden worry is prominent. In view of this, the following points are put forward:(1) promote and realize scientific management of water resources in Tarim River Basin from mechanism and system. Brought the five source streams that have been cut off into the unified management of the Tarim River Basin Authority; (2) determine the appropriate scale of oasis scientifically, and determine the cultivated area and scale of economic development by water resource; (3) implement unified management of surface water and groundwater, and improve the capacity of the monitoring and comprehensive control of water resources in the river basins.