Use of the silt arrester on the luoss plateau has a long history and remarkable efficiency. Meanwhile，it is facing new challenges during its continued developing. Use of the silt arrester needs thorough monitoring for dc'velopment in terms of theory. From literature including regional monitoring surveys，tributary plans and feasibility research, special engineering designs and so on，it is summarized that silt arrester monitoring should abide by scieniific,systematic, practical, advanced and standardized principles. Also, several key problems are analyzed in order to guide silt arrester monitoring to realize coordination. legalization and effectiveness.