Abstract: The lithology, thickness and structure of the vadose zone have large spatial-temporal variation, while the moisture movement rules of the vadose zone are very complex due to the influence of characteristics. The research summarizes characteristics of the lithology, thickness and structure of the vadose zone in the Northern Ningxia Irrigation Area based on the field drilling and sectional survey; and selects three soil columns with a typical stratified structure in the vadose zone to discuss the water content characteristics of the vadose zone with stratified structures in the non-irrigation period. According to the results,（1） the lithology of the vadose zone in Ningxia North Irrigation Zone mainly includes silt, fine sand, floury soil, silty clay, clay and cobble and gravel; the lithologic structure includes the single lithology, upper-fine-bottom-coarse or upper-coarse-bottom-fine stratified structure.（2） The thickness variation and structural characteristics of the vadose zone are controlled by the irrigation activity, and the thickness of the vadose zone in the irrigation period is smaller than the one in the non-irrigation period as a whole.（3） The soil moisture content of the vadose zone with stratified structure has an abrupt change at the lithologic interface. When the moisture flows from the fine particle layer into the coarse particle layer, the soil moisture content at the lithologic interface decreases dramatically. When the moisture flows from the coarse particle into the fine particle layer, the soil moisture content at the lithologic interface decreases dramatically.