The invention discloses a control method for power generation by the water level. The control method is applied to a power generation system of a hydropower station. The power generation system comprises a first power generator, a second power generator, ... and an Nth power generator, and the value of N is a positive integer. An ith power generator executes the the following steps: judging whether the acquired first water level reaches the upper-limit water level of the ith power generator, starting up the ith power generator if yes, controlling the ith power generator to output a shut-down signal, and shutting down other started-up power generators except the ith power generator, wherein the value of i is equal to 1, 2, ... and N; acquiring the current regulating pulse width according tothe first water level; and controlling the active load of the running of the ith power generator to reach the active power Pi which corresponds to the current regulating pulse width. According to thecontrol method disclosed by the invention, one power generator can run on an economical water line as long as the water level information is acquired, so that the equipment cost is relatively low; furthermore, all power generators can be sequentially started up according to variations of the water level, so that no additional control equipment is needed; and accordingly, the quantity of fault links can be reduced.