The effects of increased turbidity and epilimnetic phosphorus concentration on the distribution of phytoplankton chlorophyll-a due to short-term disturbances (siltation and humic-stained runoff) were studied in Dunham Pond, CT and Lake Annie, FL. Both stratified systems exhibited similar responses. Well-developed deep chlorophyll layers decreased in intensity and epilimnetic chlorophyll-a increased as a result of the disturbances. The observed similar phytoplankton responses from a temperate dimictic lake and a subtropical monomictic lake are consistent with published theory relating the occurrence of deep chlorophyll maxima with trophic status in stratified lakes.