Soil conservation is the ultimate goal of sediment yield research69. Statistical techniques such as hierarchical cluster analysis and regression analysis with multiple grouping variables have been widely used to study soil erosion responses under different rainfall and runoff patterns70. Previous studies have classified regional rainfall events to evaluate the impact of rainfall characteristics on runoff generation, erosion and sediment processes in a semi-arid region based on rainfall depth, rainfall duration and 30-minute maximum rainfall intensity71,72. In this study, Cluster Analysis was used to assess individual rainstorm-erosion events similarities using 17 rainstorm-erosion event parameters. Figure 12 shows Cluster Analysis results for different event-based rainstorm samples in Zhifanggou Watershed. The three rainstorm events of 4 May 1997, 6 May 1997 and 7 July 2009 have similar characteristics, and they are classified into one category in Cluster Analysis. The runoff yield times of the three rainstorms are all between 83–150 minutes. The average flow is between 0.005–0.01 m3/s, peak flow is between 0.009–0.012 m3/s, and runoff depth is between 0.002–0.01 mm. Runoff coefficients were all small for these three rainstorms due to small rainfall intensity and runoff yield.Figure 12Cluster Analysis results of different event-based rainfall samples in Zhifanggou Watershed.