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Rainfall and soil nutrients are the principal driving factors for vegetation growth. In arid lands such as Chihuahuan Desert drought periods are common; however, recently these drought cycles are more recurrent and extended. This climatic condition affects negatively rangelands productivity and the cow calf system. A soil and water conservation project to mitigate the lack of rangeland productivity is taking in a 160 ha in the desert part of the state of Chihuahua. The objective is the measure changes in vegetation composition and cover along the micro watershed in which different types of work is done to retain soil and store water in the underground. Four plots were set approximately 30 ha each, two of them have soil and water conservation works (treatment) and the remaining two as a control in an area without work. Within each plot 9 subplots were established at random. Each subplot has 36 m2 in which data collection were made for two consecutive years (2013-14). We measure at the beginning and end of the growing season floristic composition, plant height, basal and canopy coverage using a 1 m2 quadrant. Preliminary results (first year 2013) showed the presence of about 32 species of grasses and herbs dominating annual grasses such as nineawn pappusgrass. (Enneapogon desvauxii) and matted grama (Bouteloua simplex). In addition, we are collecting rainfall, soil and air temperature and soil moisture at three depth levels to understand the micro watershed hydrological dynamic.