Abstract: The object of the invention is a drive wheel of a water turbine which makes it possible to convert kinetic energy of the water stream into rotational mechanical energy of the turbine. The water turbine drive wheel, according to the invention, is characterized by such features that the angle B between the rotation plane of wheel P and the water stream direction s ranges between 3° to 87° and that the wheel is immersed only partially in the water stream up to the blade height L which is within 0.003 to 0.497 of the outer diameter of the water turbine drive wheel D.