Abstract: To clarify the effect of ground cover regulation on the water holding capacity of secondary forest, this study conducted a total of eight ground cover regulation treatments in red birch secondary forests with three degradation levels (mild, moderate and severe) in Miyaluo forest region of Aba Prefecture, including three gradients of removal (10%-C1, 30%-C2 and 50%-C3), three gradients of input (10%-R1, 30%-R2 and 50%-R3), and CK, to monitor the changes in the water holding quality of its litter. The results showed that the litter volume of secondary forest was affected by stand density, stand structure and decomposition rate, which showed moderate degradation > severe degradation > light degradation, and the maximal water holding capacity was positively correlated with the litter volume, which showed moderate degradation > severe degradation > light degradation as well. The maximal water holding capacity of litter in moderately degraded secondary forest was 50.45% higher than that in severely degraded secondary forest and 57.42% higher than that in lightly degraded secondary forest. After one year of ground cover regulation, the litter volume, maximal water holding capacity and effective interception of different secondary forests were the highest in R2 (30%-R2) treatment. The maximal water holding capacity of R2 was 35.48% higher than that of CK; The maximal water holding capacity of R2 was 312.24% higher than that of CK; The maximal water holding capacity of R2 was 47.93% higher than that of CKn. The maximal water holding rate of different secondary forests was inconsistent with the maximal water holding capacity and litter volume. The ground cover treatment had a certain impact on the maximal water holding rate. The maximal water holding rate of the moderately degraded secondary forest R3 (30%-R2) treatment was the highest, which was 71.66% higher than that of CK; The maximal water holding rate of the severely degraded secondary forest was the highest in C2 treatment, which was 49.67% higher than that of CK. This suggested that in some cases some ground cover treatments may increase the maximal water holding rate, but the exact reasons for this remain to be investigated. From the monitoring data, R2 treatment could respond quickly to improve the water holding quality of litter, and the effect is the best in moderately degraded secondary forest.