[Objective] Studying relationships between forest vegetation and its hydrological effects, and evaluating the water resources potential in the upper reaches of Lijiang river in order to provide scientific basis for water resources management and forest management.[Methods] Changes of soil water content at different soil layers in three typical forests including Phyllostachys pubescens, Schima superba and Cunninghamia lanceolata were studied in Mao'er mountain in the upper reaches of Lijiang River.[Results] (1) Due to the complicated canopy structure, higher water storage was found in S. superba. There was an obvious difference in the vertical variation of soil water content in different soil layers because of the vertical vegetation structure. (2) Soil water content in S. superba varied within higher values, while it changed within lower values in C. lanceolata. Soil water content at different soil layers significantly correlated with the precipitation, and the three typical forests showed a same changing trend with annual rainfall. (3) Soil porosity in P. pubescens was higher than that in S. superba and C. lanceolata and its property of shallow root and fast growing exerted great effects on surface soil water content.[Conclusion] Precipitation is the most important factor that influence soil water content, and the variation of soil water content is the result of rainfall and vertical vegetation structure and transpiration.