Water resources are the main limited factor in Inner Mongolia

and so a development plan should consider the balance of water demands and supplies firstly.Based on water resource carrying capacity

this paper attempts to analyze and assess the rationality and feasibility of the eleventh five-year plan of Inner Mongolia A utonomous Region.The methods of scenario analysis and pressu re assessment are applied.Resuits show that the amount of water demands is some 2.52 ×1010 m3 under Scenario 1(water saving situa tion as past five years) and 2.06 ×1010 m3 under Scenario 2(water saving situation as planning for future five years).The water supplies would reach 2.29 ×1010 m3 up to 2010 and t hus

the wa ter supplies should meet the demand under Scenario 2 in general.But there is a: remarkable regional gap of water resource distribu tion in Inner Monglia.Only 24% of availa ble water resources are distributed in the middle and western area and the water shortage occurs in this area even if under Scenario 2.So the area of irrigation land should be decreased in fragile desert and semi-desert region along inland rivers and the Yellow River

such as in the Alashan area.The indust rial planning also should be regulated in accordance with water carrying capacity.