West Virginia is one of many states in the eastern U.S. that receive high levels of sulfate and nitrate deposition from fossil fuel burning power plants. This has become an area of concern for the Monongahela National Forest because these acids can damage foliage and acidify soil and water through hydrogen ion addition and leaching of base cations. One watershed within the forest, the North Fork of the Cherry River, shows degradation of water quality from west to east. The west side of the watershed shows streams with an average pH of 5.8, ANC of 4.0, and active macroinvertebrate populations, while the east side streams show an average pH of 4.7, ANC of -16.1, and very limited biological activity. The acid properties of the soils were compared between the two areas and among landscape positions. Sixty-seven soil pedons (36 in the east, 31 in the west) were sampled by horizon across six landscape positions (ridge, shoulder, back slope, bench, toe/foot slope, floodplain) and the soil samples were analyzed for soil acidification properties. Two major properties of the soils were used for acid risk assessment: Ca:Al molar ratios and base saturation of the effective cation exchange capacity (BS). Soils with low Ca:Al molar ratios (<1) are more likely to have forest decline due to Al antagonism and toxicity. The east area of the watershed was found to have low Ca:Al molar ratios of 0.46 as well as low BS of 5.9 percent when compared to the west area with Ca:Al molar ratios of 3.24 and BS of 7.7 percent. The landscape positions with the lowest Ca:Al ratios and BS were residual soils on ridges, back slopes, and benches in both areas. The highest Ca:Al molar ratios and BS were found on alluvial (floodplains) and colluvial soils on benches and toe/foot slopes.