It has been suggested that the refilling of plasmaspheric flux tubes depleted during magnetic storms occurs via a pair of electrostatic shocks which propagate downward from the equatorial region of the magnetosphere toward the conjugate ionospheres. These shocks are believed to be created by the collision of outflowing ion streams during the refilling process. However, there is some question as to whether or not shocks are created in this manner. Analytical studies, as well as numerical simulations, indicate that an initial shock formation during plasmaspheric refilling is unlikely and that a counterstreaming of H+ ions is likely to occur. This prediction of counterstreaming ion flow during flux tube refilling has been done with the use of single-fluid hydrodynamic equations which do not take into account the multistream nature of the refilling process. In this study the hydrodynamic equations have been modified to include multiple ion streams, which allows for the possibility of counterstreaming flow. It was found that counterstreaming of H+ ions does occur and also that a pair of shocks are not initially created in the equatorial region. However, shocks do form away from the equator, and the subsequent motion of these shocks creates conditions similar to those predicted by the single-stream hydrodynamic models. This condition occurs about 4 hours after refilling begins. Thus we support the conclusion, found in earlier studies, that the refilling of the plasmasphere occurs from the equatorial region downward. Also, it was found that the rate of refilling is not substantially altered by counterstreaming flow. However, during the first 4 hours of refilling, the plasma flow characteristics were found to be substantially different from those previously reported. ¿ American Geophysical Union 1988