【Objective】Taking Aksu River Irrigation area as an example,this paper focuses on the relationship between land use /cover change and water consumption in inland river basin in arid area,and provides scientific basis for land resource development and protection in arid areas.【Method】Based on the land use / cover classification data derived from the Landsat TM imageries in 2000 and 2014,using GIS technology and land use models,combined with irrigation water and soil moisture,this paper analyzed the relationship between land use /cover change and the water consumption of cultivated land expansion in the past 15 years in the irrigated area of Aksu River.【Result】The results showed that the land use change was obvious in Aksu River Basin irrigation area. The cultivated land area increased at a rate of 159.8 km~2 /year,which was especially obvious in the Tarim River irrigated area. With the increase of cultivated land area,the water consumption of irrigated area increased obviously,and the soil moisture decreased. The shallow - root desert plants would die due to the drought stress. The middle and low coverage grassland area decreased significantly,causing the risk of desertification in the peripheral area of the irrigated area of Aksu River.【Conclusion】Under the background of global warming,the continuous expansion of cultivated land area is the main reason leading to the increase of water consumption in the irrigation area of Aksu River Basin.