infiltration was measured with a newly developed flow-through infiltrometer qq 27 sites in a 21 ha (52-acre) cotton field in the northern region of the san qq valley of california. the results were comparable with infiltration qq with a neutron probe. the infiltrometer allowed water to flow through the qq filtro meter when a rate test was not being conducted. furthermore, the water qq qualify inside the infiltrometer was the same as the water flowing past in the qq of the furrow. variability contributed by soil infiltration characteristic intake opportunity time was quantified for preirrigation as well as for three qq plant irrigations. the mean and variability of infiltration were greater for qq plant than the postplant irrigations, and soil variability contributed more qq infiltration variability than did the variability in intake opportunity time qq the infiltration pattern was temporally correlated between postplant qq, representative sites rather than a complete field interrogation could be qq estimate mean and variability of infiltration. (author abstract) refs