Level and vertical distributions of total content of phosphorus and phosphorus speciation in the sediments in Chaohu lake were examined and analyzed.The results showed that the content of total phosphorus in the surface sediment were ranged from 0.3 mg/g to 1.1 mg/g,and the average content was 0.55 mg/g.The trend of level distributions decreased gradually from north to south.Vertical distributions in the sediments of the river mouth existed the difference of change degree.The iron and calcium bounded phosphorus were the preponderant forms in the surface sediment,which the totals occupied above 80% of the total phosphorus.But Fe-P and Ca-P had the character of contrary space distribution.