Otsego Lake, and lakes similar, are often called chemically eutrophic and morphometrically oligotrophic. Other lakes in this climate, such as Canadarago Lake just to the west, are much shallower. In shallow lakes, when algae die they fall to the lake bottom and decompose. During decomposition, all of the oxygen in the lower waters is used. This forms anaerobic sediments, which release nutrients that is used by more algae when the fall overturn occurs. This results in greater algae populations the next year and reduces sediments. Since Otsego is much deeper, the same amounts of nutrients entering would be used by algae or lost into deep water. The algae still dies and settles on the bottom, but due to oxygen levels being higher, the oxygen isn't exhausted. This results in much smaller algae populations. Therefore the majority of the lake is oligotrophic, with some shallow bays showing eutrophic characteristics.