In the semi-arid Loess hilly region where there are insufficient water resources, the condition of soil water is the most important factor limiting plant growth.Studies have shown that biological mulching can effectively increase rainfall infiltration depth and reduce surface runoff, as well as reduce invalid evaporation from the soil surface.However, most studies on biological mulching technologies focused on straw and grass mulching, and there is a lack of information on the effect of branch mulching, particularly in pruned Caragana korshinskii forestland. In the semi-arid Loess hilly region, soil drying is a serious environmental problem in artificial C. korshinskii forestland. The positive effects of branch mulching on soil water conditions may have great significance for vegetation restoration and ecological construction. To understand these effects and to apply the technology for increasing soil water use efficiency, we measured volumetric soil water content (VSWC) using a neutron probe in mulched and unmulched shrubland,of pruned C. korshinskii from May to October 2013. Twenty-eight rainfall events were observed during the period and the total rainfall amounted to 495.9mm. Approximately 60% of rainfall events were less than 10mm, and the maximum rainfall was 90.3mm. Regression analysis showed significant positive correlations between rainfall and recharge amounts in both mulch plots and control plots. Furthermore, branch mulch increased the recharge amount. However, when the rainfall was less than 3.1mm, the recharge amount of soil water in mulched shrubland was less than unmulched shrubland. In addition, branch mulch increased the infiltration depth of rainfall, and the rate of rainwater harvesting was improved from 0.50 to 0.70. When the rainfall was >9.4mm, the recharge depth of soil water in unmulched shrubland was less than mulched shrubland. At the same time, there was more evapotranspiration in mulch plots than in control plots. During the growing season, total water consumption in mulch plots was 37.56mm greater than in control plots, which was merely 1/3 of the rainwater more infiltrated because of mulching management. Therefore, there was a positive effect of branch mulch on soil water resources in the wet years, reflected as the increase of soil water content in the 0-260cm depth profile. This study demonstrated that branch mulching can substantially increase the infiltration depth and recharge amount of rainfall in pruned C. korshinskii forestland and improve the utilization rate of rainwater.