Survey on the phytoplankton community structure and distribution in the upstream watershed of the East River was carried out during the period from May, 2008 to April, 2009. A total composition of phytoplankton included 159 taxa, consisting of 7 orders, 56 genera, 139 species, and 40 unidenfied species. Among those, the diatoms and green algae were more frequently found during the investigation than the other taxa. Cocconeis placentula, Cymbella minuta, Diatoma vulgare, Melosira varians, Navicula cryptocephala, Scenedesmus acuminatus v. acuminatus, were among the most common. The standing crops of the phytoplankton ranged from 86 cells $mL^{-1}$ to 1,467 cells $mL^{-1}$. The dominant species were Achnanthes minutissima, Asterionella formosa, Aulacoseira ambigua, Cocconeis placentula, Coelastrum microporum, Cyclotella sp., Cymbella affinis, C. minuta, C. tumida, Diatoma vulgare, Fragilaria capucina, F. construens, F. crotonensis, Gomphonema affine, G. clevei, Melosira varians, Merismopedia elegans, Navicula cryptocephala, N. pupula, Nitzschia tryblionella, Oscillatoria anna, O. limosa, O. tenuis v. tenuis, Pediastrum duplex v. reticulatum, Phormidium tenue, Scenedesmus acuminatus v. acuminatus, S. acutus v. acutus, S. ecornis v. ecornis, S. quadricauda v. quadricauda, Spirogyra sp., Stigeoclonium sp., Synedra acus, S. ulna, and Ulothrix sp. The most dominant species was Cymbella minuta. The diversity index, evenness index, and dominance index ranged from 1.58 to 3.10, 051 to 0.95, and 0.22 to 0.74, respectively. The phytoplankton community structure of upstream stations of the survey area was influenced by the effluent of the Doam Lake.