We estimated the influence of environmental factors on zooplankton communities at 25 reservoirs during winter (December 2010 to January 2011). Among zooplankton groups, Cyclops vicinus is more dominant during winter, and this is positively related to withered vegetation area and dissolved oxygen level. Therefore, the presence of withered vegetation might be considered as an important factor to determine C. vicinus distribution during winter. We considered that withered vegetation might be utilized as a habitat for C. vicinus, as well as provide an attachment substrate for periphytic algae. Abundance of periphytic algae can lead to high concentration of dissolved oxygen. Although copepods prefer high water temperatures for increasing their population growth, if Cyclops can overcome low temperature stress that leads to disruption of population, their population growth initiation in the next growing season (i.e. next spring) is possibly propelled by the winter population.