A correct assessment of the sediment reduction effect of soil and water conservation measures under extreme rainfall conditions can provide theoretical support for scientifically revealing the driving mechanism of erosion and sediment yield changes. Using the improved method of soil and water conservation measures analysis, reduction equation of vegetation and the distributed soil erosion model, the effects of soil and water conservation measures on sediment reduction in four typical watersheds in the Yellow River basin in recent 10 years are systematically analyzed and studied. The results showed that the sediment reduction benefit of soil and water conservation measures in the Jialu River watershed is 65.4% in the rainstorm of "July 27, 2012"; The sediment reduction benefits of soil and water conservation measures in the Xingzi River watershed were 56.5%, 40.7% and 36.5% respectively in the three successive rainfalls of"July 12, 2013", "July 25, 2013"and"July 27, 2013"; In the"August 17, 2016" rainstorm in the upeer reaches of Xiliugou watershed, the sediment reduction ratio of soil and water conservation measures was as high as 84.2% ; During the "July 26, 2017" rainstorm in the Chabagou watershed the sediment reduction rate of hillslope soil and water conservation measures was 79%. The sediment reduction effect of soil and water conservation measures is obvious under heavy rain, but it will be reduced in case of continuous extreme rainfall. © 2020, China Water Power Press. All right reserved.