The molecular composition of DOM can be an indicator of its role in downstream metabolism. In agricultural watersheds, subsurface tile drainage can alter DOM transport and processing, impacting both the quantity and quality of organic matter. Uncertainties also remain about how DOM export shifts during high-flow events, which are periods of high carbon and nutrient loss. In addition, the effect of winter cover crops on DOM quantity and quality are largely unstudied. We present results on how cover crops modify DOM composition and transport from a small agricultural watershed in northern Indiana during nine storm events over the 2024 water year. One storm occurred in the late fall, three in spring prior to cover crop termination, three post-termination of cover crops, and two during the cash crop growing season. During storms, SUVA254 values were 5-10 L mg-C−1 m−1, slightly higher than surface water, and tended to increase with flow, suggesting contribution of organic-rich surface material during storms. Optical properties of DOM showed a decrease in humic-like content during storms. On average, spring storms had similar DOM yields for both fields with and without cover crops (236 g/ha and 201 g/ha, respectively), but following cover crop termination, DOM yields were >2x as high from the field with cover crops (123 g/ha vs. 266 g/ha), suggesting carbon fixed by cover crops was lost to surface waters. Overall, the use of cover crops to prevent nutrient runoff can also influence carbon loss, which may modify biogeochemical cycling coupled to DOM.