Transmission blockage caused by structural defects of small hydropower distribution network and insufficient regulation flexibility, which has a certain coupling relationship in time series, is the main reason for water abandonment. Based on the characteristics of time-sharing multiplexing of energy storage system (ESS), utilizing the coupling relationship of water abandonment events and rationally configuring ESS can solve the problems of small hydropower transmission congestion and lack of regulatory flexibility. The causes of insuffi cient flexibility and transmission blockage resulting in water abandonment, and the coupling relationship with ESS are analyzed. A source-grid-storage collaborative planning model for small hydropower distribution net work is established. The upper-level objective is to max imize on-site consumption of small hydropower and the profits of regional small hydropower investors. The low er-level objective is to minimize average voltage offset, the input of VAR compensation system (VCS) and the num ber of transformer tap changer operation. The YALMIP solver is used to solve the optimization problems. Taking the 90 MW small hydropower unit in a certain area as an example, collaborative planning and operation analysis is conducted. The results prove that the proposed method can improve the on-site consumption of small hydropower, increase the income of regional small hydropower inves tors, and can also increase the voltage quality of the dis tribution network.