In the early modern times, the social communities were founded along the river valleys and irrigating dykes in the arid northwest inland--river area. In order to solve the conflicts caused by the using water, and to manage efficiently the allocation of the water resources, the regulations of allocating water were established by the counties between the upper and the lower reaches, the management institution of the irrigating--water was set up by each county, the irrigating regulations were universally made to stipu- late the usage of the irrigating--water, and to make clear the users＇ rights and responsibilities. The fact not only reflects the general vicissitudes of the rural villages in the arid northwest inland--river area, but also show us that the management of the irrigating water exerts tremendous influence on the rural commu- nities in the area of fragile environment. Examining the problem from a historical perspective, the signifi- cances of it are： the key spirit of the management of the irrigating--water is fairness and impartiality, and the basic responsibility of the local government is to defend the masses＇ rights and interests of using wa- ter; the only way out of the conflicts caused by water supply is to provide more water and develop water resources; the development and management of irrigating--water can expand the living space of human-- being, and become the fundamental social bonds; the right to manage the irrigating-- water was monopo- lized by the gentry class combined with religious authority show clearly the limitation of the times.%近代西北干旱内陆河区形成了以流域和灌溉渠系为纽带的社会群落，为了解决用水纠纷，做好水资源的管理分配，河流上下游各县之间制定了分水制度，各县建立灌溉用水的管理机构，灌区内普遍制定了水规，规定灌溉水的使用方法，明确用户的权利与责任。其不但反映了西北干旱内陆河区农村村社变迁的一般状况，还可以从中解读生态环境极端脆弱的该地区，灌溉水管理对农村社会的巨大影响。从历史角度审视这一问题，其意义在于：灌溉水管理的基本精神是公平公正原则，地方政府基本职责是维护群众的水利权益；增加灌溉水量、开发水源是解决干旱区供水矛盾的根本出路；灌溉水的开发与管理开拓了人类生存的空间，并成为维系社会的纽带；灌溉水的管理权被士绅阶层垄断并与神权相结合，表现了时代的局限性。
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