The aim of the present study was the evaluation of methods for estimating the content of bio-physical parameters in lake water on the basis of spectral reflectance measured above water surface, in particular the estimation of chlorophyll-a (chl-a) concentrations. Data sets considered refer to some sampling point located in the sub-alpine meso-eutrophic Lake Iseo, surveyed six times over the period March-July and once in November 1998, as these months were very important for the characterization of the springtime algal bloom, which affect the lake waters yearly. At each point station, limnological observations (chlorophyll, total suspended solids, Secchi disk depth) were conducted simultaneously with optical measurements. The latter consisted of water leaving radiance measured by means of a spectroradiometer above the water surface; moreover, a standard reflector radiance was also measured to obtain the water reflectance. Reflectance spectra were transformed according to two well-documented models and correlated to water quality parameters, to investigate their performances as retrieval algorithms under different conditions and referring to different analytical methods. Results outline the sensitivity of the models to chl-a concentrations, different phytoplankton composition, and the sampling depth.