Abstract The Orenburg region belongs to the dry-steppe regions with a sharply continental climate, the efficiency of crop production in which depends on the amount of precipitation. Due to the natural and climatic conditions of the region, precipitation in the form of snow is used irrationally, which leads to a decrease in the amount of potential soil moisture. Lack of moisture negatively affects the quality of crop production processes and the state of the soil itself. To solve this problem, it is proposed to implement measures for mechanized snow retention in agricultural fields. Technical and technological disadvantages of the classic mechanized snow retention are established. Negative components of the classical technology are the need for additional costs for winter events and the forced additional impact on the soil of heavy equipment. As a solution to the problem, it is advisable to accumulate snow on high stubble residues formed simultaneously with the process of harvesting grain crops. It was found that for the Orenburg region, taking into account the natural and climatic features, it is advisable to use a Reaper for two-phase harvesting of grain crops by a batch method with a device for the formation of high stubble residues. A dependence was established to determine the optimal share of the field area with stubble residues for effective snow retention. The optimal values of the interdependent parameters of the Reaper reel and the reel of the stubble residue formation device are revealed. The analysis of experimental field studies showed that the formed stubble residues allow accumulating the amount of snow, which increases the moisture reserves in the soil in the spring period by about two times. The feasibility study of the proposed solution showed the feasibility of its application and allowed us to establish the level of profit from the increase in yield due to an increase in the amount of moisture in the soil as a result of snow retention.