The formation, development, and some problems of the current physically based models of water and solute transfer are considered in this review. These models appeared about a half century ago. They were based on the basic laws of soil physics and other branches of soil science (laws of balance, transfer, diffusion, hydrodynamic dispersion, etc.) described by the corresponding equations and programs and supported by the experimental data in the form of physically based parameters. At present, one of the main problems in the development, adaptation, and application of these models is that the current and future mathematical models should rest upon the experimental support with a clear physical basis characterizing the nature of the phe nomenon described. This experimental support enables creating research models, drawing conceptual con clusions, and, hence, understanding, analyzing, and managing soil processes. This is apparently possible only if the set of methods for the experimental support of models is substantiated, preferably in direct physical experiments and under field conditions close to the future model prognoses.