Water content measurements by γ‐ray attenuation were made on soil columns during simultaneous redistribution and evaporation following irrigation. Redistribution is shown to reduce evaporation, in some cases appreciably. For a deep irrigation the redistribution proceeds at a rate that is relatively independent of the evaporation process, as has been predicted from numerical solutions of the flow equation. Expressions are derived for obtaining an estimate of amount of reduction in evaporation due to redistribution when the redistribution rate is known.