With the progress of science and technology, we have entered the era of big data. Massive amounts of data obtained in a variety of industries, can all be referred to as big data. Big data have the characteristics such as large amount, variety, high velocity and high value of application. Soil and water conservation monitoring is an important basic work. Development and application of big data help us to explore and find out the rules of the development of soil and water loss, and thus to realize scientific forecast. It provides support for the transfer from experience-based ecological decision and quantificated decision to big data decision. In respect of development of big data, we should recognize that it is still in the primary stage, and thus there might exist difficulties and challenges. Therefore, we should make big data research and development plans timely on the basis of all-round monitoring. Exploration and research should be planned and conducted step by step, in order to find the right big data solutions that realize the analysis and application of big data.