Laboratory columns of Cobb sand were used to study the movement and distribution of surface applied 1,1‐dimethyl‐3‐(α, α, α,‐trifluoro‐m‐tolyl) urea (fluometuron) for three infiltration rates and two initial soil‐water contents. Fluometuron movement showed little dependence on initial soil‐water content for a given infiltration rate. Experimental data indicated that equilibrium existed between the adsorbed and solution phases for all infiltration rates and initial soil water contents studied with the exception of the ponded infiltration into air‐dry soil case. A simultaneous numerical solution of the water and solute transport equations described a fluometuron pulse, for large infiltration rates, which lagged the experimental data. The agreement between calculated and measured distributions was improved when the infiltration rate was reduced. The shape of the fluometuron pulse was reasonably well described by the mathematical model.