Soil conservation experiments consisting 6 plots (five of themrntreated and one untreated control plot) were established in 1986 inrnthe Maybar area to identify the most suitable soil conservationrnmeasure(s) for the area and other similar areas in Wello region. Thernplots (each 30m long and 6m wide) are placed side by side on a 28%rnslope with a well-drained, highly stony, HAPLIC PHAEOZEM of about 60rncm depth . The treatments are Level Bund, Graded Bund, Level Fanyarnjuu, Graded Fanya juu and Grass Strip.rnSoil loss and runoff measurements from the experimental plotsrnwere made during 65 rainfall events with a total rainfall amount andrnerosivity (EI30) of 2098mm and 876 Joules m- i h- i , respectively. 41rnof the 65 rainfall periods having a total rainfall amount and EI30rnvalue of l29lmm and 516 Joules m- i h- i respectively were monitored inrn1986. The rest (24 rainfall events with rainfall amount and EI30 ofrn8Q7mm. and 360 Joules m- i h .- i , respectively) occurred in 1987.rnThe observed annual soil loss values from all experimental plots arernbelow the tolerance level.rnbetween experimental plots.rnYet, significant differences existrnThe graded Bund showed distinctivelyhigher soil loss in both 1986 and 1987 amounting to 5.15 tons/ha andrn1 . 66 tons/ha, respectively. The t hree level soil conservationrnmeasures (Level Fanya juu, Grass Strip and Level Bund) consistentlyrnshowed significantly lower annual soil loss values in both the yearsrnamounting to 0.49, 0 . 84 and 1.04 tons/ha, respectively in 1986 and torn0.15, 0.40 and 0.54 tons/ha in 1987. The control plot showed anrnannual soil loss of 2.02 tons/ha (which was less than half of thernannual soil loss of the Graded Bund) in 1986 and of 1 . 1 tons/ha inrn1987 .rnCrop cover (as the major factor), high surface stoniness of thernexperimental plots which encouraged infiltr ation of rainwater intornthe soil and the dominance of low - erosivity rains during the studyrnperiod were observed to have resulted in very low soil losses duringrnindividual rainfall events .rnUnder the rainfall conditions observed in 1986 and 1987, vegetativerncover together with the high surface stoniness on the experimentalrnplots have been sufficient to reduce soil loss from the plots tornvalues below the tolerance level. However, soil loss data collectedrnfrom test plots in the Maybar area showed that extreme years willrnproduce upto 100 times more erosion than during the study period.rnAs a result of the experiments, it is concluded that in the Maybarrnarea and in the whole eastern escarpment of Wello, the choice shouldrnbe for agronomic soil conservation measures . These have to bernsupported by physical soil conservation measures (Level Fanya juu,rnGrass Strip a nd Leve l Bund) on steep slopes (15 to 50%) since testrnplot data have shown that extreme years will result in soil lossesrnmuch higher than those observed during the study period. However,rneven where the physical meaures are applied, the stress should be onrnreducing inter-terrace erosion by means of agronomic measures