Terracing is one of the most important soil and water conservation (SWC) measures in China, playing a critical role in mitigating soil erosion. This study proposes a two-stage mapping framework to classify different types of terrace measures and develops a new dataset—the Soil and Water Conservation Terrace Measures Dataset (SWCTMD)—based on time-series Landsat imagery and digital elevation model (DEM) data from 2000 to 2020. The framework incorporates a refined classification system that provides detailed information on both terrace distribution and associated SWC measure factors, offering significant value for understanding and managing soil erosion dynamics.

(1) It is recommended to revise the title to: A 30 m resolution dataset of soil and water conservation terraces across China (2000–2020).

(2) What specific subcategories of cropland are included in the study?

(3) What information is contained in the 30 m grid dataset? Does it include whether the area is terraced or not, the type of terrace, and the associated conservation measure factor?

(4) It is recommended to retain numerical values to one decimal place for better clarity and consistency.

(5) In Table 2, the four types of terrace measures are shown with remote sensing images. To enhance clarity and visual recognition, it is recommended to replace these with high-resolution photographs.

(6) In the accuracy assessment section, the evaluation metrics should be further explained, such as the possible value ranges of each indicator and whether higher or lower values indicate better accuracy.

(7) The methodology section lacks details about the estimation of soil erosion and the other influencing factors used in the analysis related to terrace responses in China. Please specify the estimation methods and data sources for these additional factors.

(8) In Figure 3, should the legend indicate "cropland with terraces" and "cropland without terraces," rather than "cropland" and "terraces"? Additionally, does the map on the left represent the distribution of cropland? Please clarify it.

(9) To highlight the novelty of this dataset, it is recommended to include a comparison table in addition to Figure 3. This table should provide quantitative details of the differences between this new dataset and existing ones, such as the extent of area change in specific regions and the types of terraces contributing to those changes.

(10) In Figure 6, it is suggested to label the numerical values within each grid cell to improve readability and interpretability.

(11) Many quantitative descriptions in the manuscript only provide absolute values; it is recommended to also include relative percentages to help readers better interpret the significance of the results.

(12) In Figure 7, are fixed values assigned to each type of terrace measure? Please clarify the value assignment approach.

(13) The sentence: “According to our estimation, the soil erosion of the Loess Plateau accounts for only 10.95% of the total cropland erosion in China, indicating that the SWC measures previously implemented have achieved good governance…” is better rephrased with the emphasis placed on the comparative effects of having terraces vs. not having terraces, or the differences among this dataset and previpus datasets, in order to reflect the value of this dataset in soil erosion estimation. The relatively low share of cropland erosion in the Loess Plateau does not necessarily indicate the effectiveness of conservation measures alone—it may also be influenced by factors such as total cropland area, topography, vegetation cover, climate and so on.