[Objective] The influence of litters on the hydrological effect of sandy land in the wind-water erosion crisscross region of the Loess Plateau was explored in order to provide a theoretical basis for the evaluation of eco-hydrological benefits after the implementation of the ‘Grain for Green’ project in this area.[Methods] Litter-covered sites of Populus simonii, Caragana korshinskii, and Bothriochloa ischaemum were selected as the research objects, and bare sandy land was taken as the control in order to reveal the effects of litter cover on water conservation capacity in sandy land by using the entropy weight method.[Results] ① The maximum water holding rate, maximum retention rate, effective retention rate and maximum hygroscopicity rate of litter followed the order of B. ischaemum > P. simonii > C. korshinskii. The water holding capacity and retention capacity of litters followed the order of P. simonii > C. korshinskii > B. ischaemum. ② Litter cover reduced the soil bulk density, but increased total porosity, saturated water holding capacity, capillary water holding capacity, and mean infiltration rate. ③ The comprehensive evaluation value of water conservation capacity followed the order of litter-covered sites of C. korshinskii (0.889) > litter-covered sites of P. simonii (0.484) > litter-covered sites of B. ischaemum (0.228) > bare sandy lands (0.038). ④ Stable infiltration rate, soil effective water holding capacity, and soil non-capillary porosity accounted for the highest water conservation function weights, which accounted for 15.3%, 14.8%, and 14.8%, respectively.[Conclusion] Litters effectively improve the hydrology of sandy land. The results of this study suggest that shrubs be planted to optimize water conservation capacity, and that trees and herbs can be planted together.