Off-site damage from soil erosion in freshwater lakes and reservoirs is an environmental concern worldwide. Suspended sediments are the most visible indicators of off-site damage and a major factor affecting water quality and biological activity in water bodies. A technique is needed to monitor the landscape and locate water bodies with significant suspended sediment concentrations. This paper describes a technique using remote sensing data from environmental satellites to estimate suspended sediment concentrations in lakes and reservoirs. Comparisons of water bodies on multiple Landsat scenes indicate reflectance from surface water is related to suspended sediment concentrations. Using satellite remote sensing, large segments of the landscape could be monitored quickly and efficiently to locate water bodies with significant suspended sediment concentrations. Conservation practices to reduce soil erosion and thus off-site damage from suspended sediments could be planned for the watersheds of water bodies with significant suspended sediment problems.