Abstract: For cascade hydropower stations with water-head connection, raising the water level of the downstream hydropower station in the case of unchanged total water head of two stations may increase the risk of water abandonment, and change the utilized head of the two cascade hydropower stations which results in changing their revenue.To research the effect of raising water level of downstream hydropower station on cascade generation revenue, the revenue of cascade stations before and after raising the water level of the downstream station was calculated.The coefficient of water consumption increment(CWI)was proposed.Then considering the loss of water abandonment, the effect of changing head allocation on generation revenue of cascade stations was researched.This study presented a criterion that whether changing water-head allocation is beneficial to increasing revenue of cascade stations.A case study of the Qingjiang River cascade hydropower stations indicated that due to the differences in electricity prices and comprehensive efficiency coefficients between upstream and downstream hydropower stations, when the criterion is satisfied, appropriately increasing the water level of the downstream hydropower station may increase the overall power generation revenue of cascades.The research results can provide theoretic guidance for cascade hydropower stations to scientifically control water level, balance risk of water abandonment and water-head benefit, and increase overall power generation revenue.