Spatial variability of hydraulic parameters is an important factor in prediction of water flow and solute transport in unsaturated soils. An analytical solution for one-dimensional constant rate rainfall infiltration in a homogeneous soil is incorporated into a model of a spatially variable field. The model is a composite of vertically homogeneous soil columns that differ in their hydraulic properties. In this study, horizontal variation in infiltration profiles is due to variation in the inverse macroscopic capillary length (&agr;) of each column. The sill in travel time variance of wetting profiles with depth for the homogeneous column confirms the notion of a long-time traveling wave of fixed shape. Variation in &agr; slightly enhances the spread of wetting profiles and delays formation of the traveling wave. Identification of the mean &agr; value is more critical than inclusion of variability in &agr; for wetting profile simulations under the examined conditions. ¿ American Geophysical Union 1995