More than 300 pairs of fine and coarse mesh plankton net samples were collected in the northern basin of Lake Chad during an 18-month period, June 1967 to November 1968. The seasonal distribution and abundance of the dominant species of Rotifera and Crustacea are given in addition to a general description of the hydrology and circulation of the northern basin of the lake. The composition and abundance of the zooplankton varied considerably over the sampling period; a generalized seasonal cycle is suggested. Synoptic estimates of absolute abundance are presented and compared to those in the southeastern portion of the lake.