All lakes undergo an aging process, whereby sediments accumulate over time.
This process can be accelerated because of increased nutrient loading to the lake. In the case of Lake Okeechobee, changes in land use over the past 50 years have resulted in more nutrients entering the lake, increasing the amount of sediments on the lake bottom, and resulting in more algal blooms. The lake covers 730 square miles. High phosphorus levels result in a greater frequency of algal blooms. Too high a water level leads to less light penetrating to the lake bottom, so the submerged plants die off.