Seasonal variation of the turbidity (suspended substance) has been investigated in Lake Biwa. During the last five years, vertical and horizontal distributions of water temperature, turbidity, electric conductivity and chlorophyll-a have been obtained both in the south basin and the southern part of the north basin of Lake Biwa. The benthic nepheloid layer (BNL) developed in the seasons of thermal stratification, and is not detectable in the non-stratification period (winter). The BNL is mainly maintained by the organic matter such as phytoplankton under decomposition. However, the turbidity in the nepheloid layer was much affected by the turbid water from rivers after heavy rainfall. In this case, the major component of the suspended substance (SS) in the nepheloid layer was inorganic soil. The particulate P concentration, which is originated from phytoplankton, also increased after a rain fall. This suggests that phytoplankton in the surface layer sinks with clay and silt coming through rivers. From summer to the end of the stratification period, another kind of turbidity appeared in the bottom layer. This is caused by the chemical reaction of manganese under the anoxic condition. The resuspension of bottom sediment by strong currents also occurred, but it is not a major process for maintaining the BNL.