In the dry aeolian sand region,check dam s for soil and water conservation can store water and mud, improve the natural environment and enable oasis agriculture.Using a gravel-sand m ixture from channel bottom s as a building material for check dams allows use of readily available material and may also facilitate use of flood water. Follow ing a series of experimentswork, the stability of the sides and seepage flow of Shangliushui check dam were analyzed. The results indicate that gravel-sand mix can fulfil the goals of dam stability and controlled seepage flow in the dry aeolian sand region.