Continuous drought in Northern Shaanxi Province was examined on the basis of its effects on plant growth and soil moisture. It was found that soil moisture in the study region has decreased, with very low soil moisture measured at depth in the soil profile. High plant mortality and reduced cropland productivity was also observed. The study also identified some plant species, such as oriental arborvitae, Chinese jujube, Caragana, Calabazilla, mung bean and broomcorn, with high drought tolerance.