The figure displays the most common and effective measures for:

• reducing surface run-off,
• increasing soil moisture and
• decreasing soil erosion.

The effect of conservation bench terraces (CBTs) are

• increased available soil moisture under CBTs and
• level bench terraces do not have a rainfall multiplier effect like CBTs.

The whole surface might be shaped into runoff and run-on areas, both on sloping and level ground.

Water harvesting methodologies also contribute to soil protection measures, since water harvesting methodologies usually reduce surface water runoff in combination with increase of infiltration processes.