Abstract: In order to explore effects of comprehensive management of small watersheds on sustainable development of ecological economy in the semi-arid loess hilly-gully regions, ecological footprints of the demands and supplies of the Miaoping watershed before and after the implementation of ecological environment management were calculated quantitatively and analyzed using the footprint theory and method, based on the data obtained through field survey. Results show that the ecological footprint of the watershed has always been greater than its ecological carrying capacity, thus leaving the small watershed ecological economy in a unsustainable state . However, its per capita ecological deficit has dropped from 0.7989 hm² before the management to 0.5525 hm² after the management. Thanks to the the remarkable effect of the comprehensive management of soil and water conservation, its ecological carrying capacity grows faster than its ecological footprint. Ecological footprint demand and deficit comes mainly from alienation of land by farmlands and fossil energy industry.