“共抓大保护、不搞大开发”是推动长江经济带高质量发展的战略导向，长江大保护要抓主要问题、采取针对性的措施策略。本文系统分析了长江经济带面临的主要水安全与水生态保护修复问题：防洪安全形势依然严峻、水生动物适宜生境萎缩严重且多样性降低、长江与通江湖泊关系失调。研究提出了针对性的水安全保障措施与水生态修复策略：一是加快重要蓄滞洪区的安全工程建设，修订《长江流域防洪规划》，提高防洪保安能力；二是在长江上游支流替代生境建设，在长江中下游实施部分原通江湖泊的恢复连通并扩大水库生态调度范围，修复受损生态系统；三是实施洞庭湖北部四口水系综合整治，在鄱阳湖出口建闸并进行调控，科学改善江湖关系。

Working together on protection instead of excessive development is the key strategy for promoting the high-quality development of the Yangtze River Economic Belt. It is necessary to tackle principal contradictions with targeted measures in the process of Yangtze River protection. In this paper, we analyze the major issues regarding water security and aquatic ecosystem protection in the Yangtze River Economic Belt, including the severe flood control safety situation, the serious shrinkage of suitable habitats for aquatic animals and biodiversity reduction, and the dysfunctional relationship between the Yangtze River and its connected lakes. Additional, we propose several targeted measures and strategies. The measures for improving the flood control capability are to accelerate the construction of safety projects in critical flood storage and detention areas and revise the Yangtze River Basin Flood Control Planning. The strategies for restoring the damaged aquatic ecosystem are to construct substitute habitats in the tributaries in the upper reaches of the Yangtze River, restore the connection between the Yangtze River and some former connected lakes in the middle and lower reaches, and expand the ecological operation of reservoirs. The strategies for regulating the river–lake relationship are to improve the four water systems in the north of the Dongting Lake and build floodgates at the outlet of the Poyang Lake.