The sediments of Char Lake, Resolute, Northwest Territories, were studied to determine storage rates of nitrogen, phosphorus, and organic carbon which could be compared with retention estimates of N and P and primary production and respiration estimates for organic C. The storage rate for P (0.018 g∙m−2∙yr−1) was 129% of measured retention, storage of N (0.087 g∙m−2∙yr−1) was 43% of measured retention, and the 1 g∙m−2∙yr−1 storage estimate for organic C was 18% of the difference between primary production and respiration. Lacustrine sediments were found to be very unevenly distributed with accumulations from 7 cm to an estimated 3 m in the last 6200 yr and to vary in N, P, and organic C concentrations from place to place. Key words: sedimentation, nutrient budgets, arctic, lake, carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus