Nutrient loading has a significant influence on lake health, and discovering the causes of nutrient loading was a central part of our study.
	�Sediments run into lakes through natural process and human land use
	�In Maine, these sediments carry high levels of nutrients, especially phosphorus and nitrogen, which can lead to high algal growth.
	�Excessive algae overwhelms other organisms, consumes nutrients and depletes oxygen in a lake.
	�The combination of sedimentation and excessive productivity shorten the life of a lake, as the bottom fills in and flora and fauna are unable to survive.
	�Lakes that are prematurely aging as a result of these processes are classified as eutrophic, and Threemile Pond is considered a eutrophic lake.