Ephemeral gully plays an important role in soil losses in hilly red soil region.A field experiment was carried out to study the impact of contour hedgerow on spatial variation of soil water in red soil slope-land with ephemeral gullies.The results showed that there was an upward trend for the soil moisture from the soil surface to the bottom in the dry season.However,there was an upward trend for the soil moisture from the soil surface to the bottom in plot in the rainy season without contour hedgerow setting while it shows that the trend was 30 cm soil layer>45 cm soil layer>15 cm soil layer in the plot with contour hedgerow setting.The coefficient of variation of soil moisture in plot with contour hedgerow setting showed a decreasing tendency from the soil surface to the bottom,and it is larger than that of plot without contour hedgerow setting in the same layer.In the wet and dry seasons,the soil moisture in plot with contour hedgerow setting is more than that of plot without contour hedgerow setting at slope middle,but less at upper slop and lower slop.Therefore,the contour hedgerow can maintain soil and water effectively,making the plants to take advantage of shallow slope water in the wet and dry seasons,which plays a significant role in easing seasonal drought and conserving soil and water.