Snowmelt and runoff were studied during the 1982-1983 and the 1983-1984 winters at the University of Michigan Biological Station, which is located near the northern tip of Michigan’s lower peninsula. The first 50% of the snowpack acidity was released in meltwater and rainwater equal to 25% of the original snowpack water content. Interaction between the meltwater and the litter layer produced large changes in the concentrations of most species. Runoff to two streams had high SO4-2 and very low NO3- concentrations. It is concluded that most of the NO3- is either biologically utilized or retained in the watershed, even during the early snowmelt period at this site.