The Loess Plateau is located in an arid and semi-arid area. Annual rainfall ranges between 200–600 mm. Soil erosion on the Loess Plateau is very serious. Erosion is mainly caused by several heavy rainstorms during 6–9 months, and the amount of erosion by heavy rains accounts for >60% of total annual erosion30. So storm runoff erosion is the main pathway of sediment yield and the main power of sediment transport for other erosion processes31. Due to the high intensity and short duration of the few heavy rains, rainstorms on loess slopes rapidly form infiltration-excess runoff and cause very high runoff rates32. Because loess soil is highly erodible, a large amount of infiltration-excess runoff also results in excessive erosion, which makes this region one of the most eroded areas in the world33. Therefore, according to the erosion characteristics of the Loess Plateau, it has more significance for the establishment of soil erosion models and soil conservation by predicting runoff and sediment yield relationships of individual rainstorm events than studies on annual rainfall-erosion relationships34. Only clearly knowing the characteristics of erosion and sediment yield under typical pulsed runoff-erosion events will allow effective scientific management of soil and water conservation at watershed scales.