The water quality of Lake Taihu has declined markedly in the past two or three decades. We used modern non-parametric statistical methods to analyse the water quality record for 1989-1993 (samples collected at 2-monthly intervals). Phytoplankton blooms have been a particular problem, as the very high peak chlorophyll a concentrations in the Meiliang (up to 0.4 g·m^-3) and the coastal regions (up to 0.5 g·m^-3) indicate. However, over a large area of the middle of the lake, peak chlorophyll a concentrations were much lower (0.01-0.03 g·m^-3). In this deeper, turbid part of the lake there may often be insufficient underwater light to support rapid phytoplankton growth; grazing by the abundant benthic bivalves may also be important. Total phosphorus (P) concentrations in the coastal waters increased significantly (p < 5%). Suspended solids concentrations also increased significantly, and as a result transparency decreased. However, phytoplankton probably usually only account for a small proportion of the suspended material, so the parallel increase in total P and suspended solids may be coincidental. Significant increases in chlorophyll a were not observed, but phytoplankton blooms are often short-lived (e.g. days to weeks), and thus may not always be detected by the 2-monthly sampling.