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During the winter season 2008/2009 for the first time a massive cyanobacteria bloom occurred in the artificial lake of Occhito, the main reservoir in the province of Foggia (Southern Italy, Puglia Region) used for drinking water purpose also. The toxic species Planktothrix rubescens was identified as the most abundant, and an ad hoc monitoring program was immediately planned. The monitoring routine (currently running) was mainly targeted to the quantification of P. rubescens population density as well as the measure of microcystins concentrations both in the lake and in treated waters for human consumption. Chemical-physical lake parameters (temperature, nutrients) were measured also. The 2009-2011 monitoring results highlight the relationships among the presence/relative abundance of cyanobacteria in the artificial lake and the seasonal-limnological features, as well as the evolution of blooms according to the spatial/temporal variations of the environmental and antrophical factors in the Occhito basin.