Why this matters to the lake? Chemical use can also harm natural soil productivity and function, reducing its porosity and ability to capture and breakdown pollutants. Soils rich in organic content is better aerated and has greater storage and treatment capabilities. The misuse of outdoor chemicals can not only harm the environment—especially ground and surface water—but may in fact result in injury to landscape plants as well. Excessive use of nutrients, including phosphorus, triggers the process of eutrophication characterized by increasing algal growth, depleted oxygen for fish and other species, and loss of water clarity and quality. Site disturbance and construction can compact soils, removing porosity and reducing biological functions that reduce infiltration, increasing runoff and pollution.