[Objective] To study the hydrological effect of typical forest litter layer and soil layer on the upper Luanhe River, in order to provide theoretical basis for monitoring and evaluation of the forest. [Methods] The non-decomposed layer and semi-decomposed layer of three different types forest litter were investigated. [Results] (1) The litter accumulation amount, the maximum moisture capacity, and the effective retaining content of Pinus tabulaeformis forest were 12.03, 19.4, and 23.52 t/hm² respectively, those of larch forest were 9.51, 11.9, and 17.03 t/hm² respectively, and those of mixed forest of larch and birch were 5.54, 13.0, and 13.7 t/hm², respectively. (2) It nearly reached saturation in 8 h for semi-decomposed layer, while it needed 10 h for non-decomposed layer. The water absorption rate of litter reached maximum within 0.5 h, and it slowed down obviously at about 6 h. (3) The water holding capacity of soil layer for Larix gmelini and Betula platyphylla mixed forest was highest, which was 375.92 t/hm², while it was lowest in soil layer of Pinus tabulaeformis forest, which was 248.04 t/hm². Using the power function to fit the infiltration rate and infiltration time, the correlation coefficient R² was more than 0.98. [Conclusion] The biomass, maximum water holding capacity, and the effective holding capacity are maximum in the litter layer of Pinus tabulaeformis forest, and the mixed forest of larch and birch have the highest soil water holding capacity.