Despite the absence of vasopressin, Brattleboro homozygous (DI) rats concentrate their urine to hypertonic levels when deprived of drinking water. Ultimately this rise in urine osmolality must follow from increased osmolality of the corticopapillary gradient and/or increased osmotic equilibration across the collecting ducts. In this study we examined the concentrations and contents of total solute, urea, and nonurea solute in tissue from cortex to papillary tip of DI rats before and after dehydration for 12, 24, and 48 h. The greatest increase in osmolality occurred during the first 12 h; both urea and nonurea solute concentrations increased, but urea preferentially. From 12 to 48 h there were only small further increases in these concentrations, largely as a result of decreased tissue water content. Osmotic equilibration (reflected by urine/papillary tip osmolality) increased dramatically during dehydration, presumably because of decreased flow rate, attaining full equilibration by 48 h. The rise in urine osmolality during the first 12 h of dehydration was due to increased osmotic equilibration and to the enhanced corticopapillary gradient; urine became more concentrated from 12 to 48 h largely as a result of increased osmotic equilibration.