近５０年来，西北干旱区随水土资源开发利用规模的不断扩展，使区域内工农业与经济得以稳定持续发展。但同时，引起一系列生态环境变化。①大多数河流下游水量锐减，甚至断流，河道缩短，终端湖泊萎缩或干涸，水质咸化和污染趋势加剧；②土壤沙漠化和盐碱化，沙漠化土地面积达６７４９３×１０４ｈｍ２，盐碱化耕地面积逾１３５５６×１０４ｈｍ２；③植被退化，生物多样性减少，与５０年代初相比，天然森林面积减少４９％～５８％，草地面积减少１６％～９２％；④沙尘暴灾害发生频数增加，灾害程度加剧。节约与高效化利用水资源以及生态环境效益与经济效益间统一协调是西北干旱区可持续发展的根本途径 In the past 50 years, with the continuous expansion of the scale of exploitation and utilization of water and soil resources in the arid region of northwest China, the industry, agriculture and economy in the region have been able to develop steadily and continuously. But at the same time, it caused a series of ecological changes. ① The water quantity dropped sharply in the downstream of most of the rivers, and even the river was cut off, the river channels shortened, the terminal lakes shrank or dried up, and the water quality salinization and pollution tended to intensify. ② The soil desertification, salinization and desertification reached 674.93 × 104hm2, The area of ​​cultivated land is more than 13556 × 104hm2; ③The vegetation degenerates and the biodiversity decreases. Compared with the early 1950s, the area of ​​natural forest is reduced by 49% -58% and the area of ​​grassland is reduced by 16% -92%; ④ The frequency of sandstorm disasters Increase, the degree of disaster intensified. Saving and Efficient Utilization of Water Resources and Ecological Environment Benefits and Economic Benefits: Unification and Coordination as the Fundamental Approach to Sustainable Development in Arid Regions of Northwest China