The purpose of this study was to determine the optimum water intaking depth for water treatment plant based on the changes of phytoplankton distributions in Unmun reservoir. Sampling was carried around of intaking tower near the Dam site at monthly intervals from February to Ocotber in 1998. Total 79 phytoplankton taxa were observed and they were classified into 4 varieties, 75 species within 51 genera. Diatoms were mainly dominated from February to July. However Rhodomonas sp. was a dominant species in August, and Microcystis ichthyblabe in September and October. Cell density of 122,800 cells/mL in October was the highest, and 415 cells/mL in May was the lowest. The pattern of vertical distribution was similar until May; however, the cell density in the epilimnion was much higher than it in the hypolimnion during the periods with the high water temperature over $20^{circ}C$ since June. The water depths showing over 5,000 cells/mL ranged from the surface to 9m in June, surface to 6m in September, and on the only surface in October. Based on water temperature and phytoplankton vertical distribution, the depth of 6m appeared to be the optimum intaking depth far water treatment plant: 75.4 to 98.0% of phytoplankton cell densities could be avoided and the temperature over $18.3^{circ}C$ was preserved to prevent cold water damage for rice growth at the water depth during cyanobacterial blooming period in Unmun reservoir.