Remote sensing reflectance, backscattering and other corresponding parameters were measured in situ in Lake Taihu mainly following with NASA protocols.And suspended particulate matter (SPM) concentrations were measured in the lab mainly following with lake investigation criterion of China.Firstly, the whole lake was divided into three areas based on the literature*s results, where the remote sensing reflectance was influenced, not influenced, and possibly influenced by the lake bottom, respectively.They were named by the influenced area, the non-influenced area, and the possibly influenced area, respectively.Then, we divided the whole waters into two types and four sub-types based on the Secchi disk transparency measured in situ, viz.the turbid water, including the high-turbid water and the mid-turbid water, and the clear water, including the low-clear water and the high-clear water.And their properties were described by the corresponding data measured in situ or in the lab.In the whole lake, the empirical model was developed between the backscattering coefficient and SPM concentration.Only in the non-influenced area was developed the empirical model between the pairs of the remote sensing reflectance and backscattering coefficient.The remote sensing reflectance can be estimated approximately by SPM concentration and the estimation models were developed based on the mentioned above.Finally, the model precisions were analyzed in detail.Maybe it is a very good approach to preliminarily know about apparent optical properties of waters in Lake Taihu when there are not optical data measured in situ but only SPM concentrations measured in the lab.