Water resources management includes distribution,exploitation,utilization,control and protection of water resources via law,administration,economy,technology means of department of water administration,which is the general term for all kinds of activities of water demand for the sustainable development of the social economy and improvement of ecological environment.The effective management of water resources is of great significance to enhancing the utilization efficiency of water resources,improving regional ecological environment and advancing sustainable development and area economy,society and environment harmony in arid regions.Moreover,the patterns of water resources management are effective modes for improving the dynamic management of water resources,and offering technical support for high-effective collocation and rational use of water resources.Based on an analysis of supply and demand contradiction of water resources,unreasonable configuration structure,continued deteriorating of ecological environment,imperfect water use management and management system,the patterns of water resources management of three red lines,comprehensive control of ecological environment,surface water and groundwater conjunctive regulation and integrated water resources management are analyzed and discussed in arid river basins.The research trends of water resources development are prospected.It is proposed that water resources pollution,the impact of climate change and human activities of water resources,laws and regulations and policy system of water resources management in basin scale should be studied in the future in arid inland river basins.