Rainwater harvesting approaches and their effects on increasing soil water content and crop yield in North China

Two in-situ rainwater harvesting approaches, gradually constructed contour terrace and contour ridge and furrow planting were introduced. The experiments showed that soil water content with the two approaches were observably higher than that of the control after all types of rain(light, moderate and heavy rain) and under long rainless condition. But if a heavy rain came soon after anterior heavy rain, the effects of the two approaches on harvesting rain and increasing soil water content were less significant. These two approaches also had significant effect on increasing crop yield, the gradually constructed contour terrace can increase crop yield by 19.4%～25.5%, the contour ridge and furrow planting can increase crop yield by 34.1%～51.7%.