Abstract: A compound model for studying interactions amongst socioeconomics,water resources,and water environment in the Huaihe River basin is developed based on the determinate notion of carrying capacity of water environment.According to the constraint conditions of supporting the maximum size of socioeconomic activity in a region,maintaining good water environment,the compound system and the water availability,etc,a zonal water environment carrying capacity model is developed.The carrying capacity evaluation method and criteria are also proposed.The zonal model is applied to 71 computational elements in the Huaihe River Basin,and the results of carrying capacity of water environment are assessed using the proposed evaluation method and criteria.