According to a Xinhua Net report, the government investigation team found that many cities and military units in the Talimu and Manasi River regions grant water-usage permits without reviewing their impacts, consume much more water than they are allocated, and convert wilderness areas into farms and development without planning.

Since 2002, 110,000 mu (18,000 acres) of wilderness in the Talimu River area have been converted to farms without a centralized plan, including 30,000 mu under local jurisdictions and 80,000 mu controlled by the army. Such a rapid change into agricultural use affects the management of the entire river region, shifts the allocation of water resources, and worsens the water shortage.

The Chinese State Department in response to the comprehensive plan of the Talimu River Region pointed out that economic and agricultural development must take into consideration the availability of water resources. It further required that due to the water shortage, irrigation areas can not be expanded. The Xinjiang Autonomous Region government regulations prohibit all conversion of wilderness into farmland, especially in the areas near the main rivers. Chaotic and excessive consumption of water upstream has cut off the water flow over 320 km of the Talimu River, the longest inland river in China. The drying of the river has been detrimental to the natural environment.