Objective The black soil region of Northeast China is one of China's major grain-producing areas. In recent years, under the combined influence of inappropriate land use and increasing frequency of extreme climate events, gully erosion has intensified and expanded rapidly, posing a persistent threat to cropland resources and regional food security. As the core area of this region, Jilin province has severe gully development. The total number of gullies in the province reaches 142 600 gullies, accounting for 21.39% of the total in the black soil region of Northeast China, with developmental gullies mainly within cropland. These conditions lead to increasing complexity in erosion control. Therefore, this study aims to systematically analyze the current status of gully development and the characteristics of management models and measure configurations, and to establish an integrated technical framework for gully prevention and control, providing a basis for classified and region-specific gully control.

Methods This study integrated large-scale gully census data from Jilin province with field-based observations from representative gully control projects and long-term monitoring data. Spatial distribution, morphological characteristics, and developmental stages of gullies were analyzed, with particular focus on developmental gullies within cropland. Engineering, biological, and integrated control measures from existing projects were evaluated to identify practical performance, functional mechanisms, and key constraints. Based on a synthesis of census analysis and field evidence, gully control principles were formulated considering gully morphology, topography, and land use patterns. Subsequently, six typical gully management models were developed, and a suitability-based allocation strategy for differential implementation of technical measures was proposed, forming a comprehensive and operable technical framework linking terrain attributes with gully development status and management objectives.

Results Six fundamental principles for gully erosion control were identified: planning-oriented guidance, coordinated implementation, systematic treatment, ecological prioritization, integrated control of gully beds and slopes, and combined interception and drainage of surface runoff. Correspondingly, six typical management models were established: comprehensive treatment, protection and restoration, gully stabilization and bank protection, coordinated main–tributary gully management, runoff drainage and diversion, and agroforestry-oriented development models. A technical system integrating gully head protection, gully bed regulation, gully slope stabilization, surface runoff regulation, vegetation restoration, and auxiliary supporting works was developed, with improved adaptability to varying geomorphic conditions. Each component's structural characteristics, functional roles, and layout requirements were clearly defined, providing practical guidance for field implementation and regional application.

Conclusions Developmental gullies within cropland are the dominant gully type in Jilin province. Small- and medium-sized gullies are the most numerous, whereas large gullies contribute the most to the erosion area. Based on gully developmental characteristics, geomorphological conditions, and management objectives, six typical management models and corresponding measure configuration systems are constructed. The proposed framework enables coordinated implementation of engineering and vegetation measures, as well as integrated gully head-slope-bottom system control, providing a technical basis for classified gully erosion control and measure allocation in the black soil region of Northeast China.