How can snowmelt cause sudden acid shocks in streams and lakes?

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Effects of acid rain — Acid rain Forest dieback caused by acid rain in the Jizera Mountains, Czech Republic.

In colder climates, aquatic acidification can occur episodically through a process known as acid shock. Throughout the winter, sulfuric acid and nitric acid accumulate within the snowpack. When the initial snowmelt begins, these stored acids leach out rapidly, resulting in a sudden pulse of highly acidic meltwater entering streams and lakes.1

These pulses can be significantly more acidic than any individual snowfall event recorded during the winter. Because this surge of acidity happens rapidly, it can be lethal to acid-sensitive aquatic organisms throughout the food web, as these species are often unable to adapt to such a sudden change in their environment.1