Facing　the　dual　pressures　of　carbon　mitigation　and　trade　barrier,　it　is　desired　that　variations　of　water　footprints　(WFs)　with　the　related　policy　interferences　be　investigated　in　Yangtze　River　Economic　Belt　(YREB).　In　this　study,　a　factorial　equilibrium　WFs　model　is　developed　to　(a)　tackle　the　interactive　effects　(on　blue-　and　gray-WFs)　of　different　policy　alternatives　presented　as　multiple　levels　of　carbon　tax　and　import　tariff;　(b)　explore　the　variations　of　blue-　and　gray-WFs　in　specific　socio-economic　sectors　under　multiple　scenarios　of　the　dual　pressures;　and　(c)　investigate　the　provincial　WFs　from　the　perspective　of　commodity　consumption.　It　is　found　that　increased　import　tariffs　can　boost　the　WFs　of　primary　energy　and　resource-conversion　sectors,　and　can　promote　inter-sectoral　virtual-water　exchanges;　carbon　tax　can　suppress　the　WFs　for　most　of　the　sectors,　and　can　result　in　entirely　declined　industrial　production.　Moreover,　carbon　tax　can　lead　to　reduced　water　productivity　in　YREB,　and　thus　exacerbate　water　shortage.　Through　this　research,　desired　policies　for　water-footprint　management　policies　could　be　identified　with　maximized　socio-economic　and　environmental　benefits.　©　2022.　American　Geophysical　Union.　All　Rights　Reserved.