Abstract: Using indoor artificial rainfall simulation, spatial soil water distribution, storage and rain water use efficiency were investigated under alternative coverage on Lou soil slope. The results showed that there was no significant difference in wetting front shape of different treatments with different area ratios, but there were big differences in wetting front depths. The shape of wetting front in the upper part of infiltration area embodied characteristics of alternative coverage. The soil water content in surface layer had little difference at different locations along the slope, and soil water content difference decreased as catching area increased. The soil profile water distribution of each treatment decreased gradually from soil surface to deeper layers. Area ratio and rainfall intensity were important factors to influence available rainwater use efficiency. Although available rainwater use efficiency decreased with catching area increasing, its infiltration, acceptable rainfall, storage volume per area increased, which is effective for vegetation growth on infiltration area and resisting drought. But these indices decreased with rainfall intensity. Alternative coverage method showed better effect under lower rainfall intensity. Then, how to determine the appropriate catching area ratio to improve available rainwater use efficiency under different conditions and its effects for different soil slope and rainfall conditions still need further investigation.