We described the distribution of aquatic macrophytes sampled from 130 lakes (1997)(1998)(1999)(2000)(2001)(2002)(2003)(2004)(2005) across Iowa and estimated the number of samples required to determine species richness at various detection levels. Sago pondweed (Stuckenia pectinatus), cattails (Typha spp.), reed canarygrass (Phalaris arundinacea ), longleaf pondweed (Potamogeton nodusus), and coontail (Cerutophyllum demrrsim ) were generally the most common species sampled, but several exceptions were observed. For instance, bulrushes (Schnoenoplectus spp.) were among the most common taxa in natural lakes, and American water lotus (Nelumbo lutea) was one of the most common species in oxbow lakes. Sample size estimates were closely related to lake size, with larger systems requiring more samples. Our analysis suggests that lakes smaller than 10 ha require about 12 vegetated transects to have a 95% probability of detecting all of the species present in the lake. Lakes between 10