Alkaline phosphatase activity (APA) of unfiltered and fractionated (algae, bacteria, dissolved) surface water samples was measured using a spectrophotometric method in Lake Luknajno from May to September 1993. The total enzymatic activity varied between 0.44-2.35 mu mol l(-1) h(-1). Algae were major producers of alkaline phosphatase activity in surface water of the lake from May to August, and their activity constituted on the average 67% of the total APA activity in the water. APA activity in bacterial size fraction was low and constituted 9.6% (mean) of the total activity. The activities of free (dissolved in water) enzymes were relative high during the time of study. This study show that hydrolysis of organic phosphomonoesters by alkaline phosphatase was negligible in the recycling of phosphorus in Luknajno Lake.