Watershed　ecological　compensation　(WEC),　as　a　public　policy　for　sustainability,　aims　at　balancing　the　ecological　environment　and　economic　development　within　specific　watersheds　to　achieve　the　harmonious　coexistence　between　humans　and　nature.　This　study　takes　an　innovative　approach　by　constructing　an　effective　WEC　policy　evaluation　model　for　the　Huai　River　Basin　based　on　a　comprehensive　evaluation　system　and　empirical　research.　By　systematically　integrating　the　fuzzy　comprehensive　evaluation　of　the　analytic　hierarchy　process　and　descriptive　statistical　methods,　the　model　provides　a　comprehensive　evaluation　of　the　WEC　policy’s　influence　on　the　basin’s　overall　environment.　The　results　indicate　that　each　area　related　to　the　Huai　River　Basin　presents　a　positive　promotion　of　the　ecological　environment　and　economic　development　based　on　its　comprehensive　score　calculated　by　the　model.　Besides,　the　results　also　reveal　a　noticeable　reduction　in　major　pollution　elements　in　the　Huai　River　Basin　based　on　empirical　research　of　the　model,　accompanied　by　effective　improvements　in　water　and　air　quality.　However,　the　impact　of　WEC’s　policy　implementation　on　regional　economic　development　is　relatively　limited.　It　is　found　that　although　the　WEC’s　policy　implementation　is　in　a　favorable　state,　downstream　cities　of　the　Huai　River　Basin　still　exhibit　a　phenomenon　of　“free-riding”.　Meanwhile,　the　WEC’s　policy　overlooks　the　focus　on　economic　concerns　and　lacks　robust　legal　safeguards.　Therefore,　this　study　further　proposes　constructive　recommendations,　including　promoting　collaborative　governance　between　upstream　and　downstream　areas,　balancing　environmental　protection　and　economic　development,　and　improving　the　legal　system　for　the　WEC.　Copyright　©　2024　Xue,　Yang　and　Huang.