This is an interesting subject for me. I learned an awful lot while doing this research. Water, or hydro power is not as widely talked about as solar or wind power. There must be a consistent flow of moving water to make the turbine/generator work. Whereas we all have access to wind and the sun, we don't all live near a moving water source. Thankfully, with some of the new inventions out there, that's not necessarily a problem any more. We'll get to that in a minute. But first, let's look at water.
The history of using water for power dates back a couple of thousand years, at least. It's primary use was in agriculture, using it as a source to grind grains and such, much in the same manner that wind power started. I'm sure that most of us are familiar with water wheels commonly used in years gone by for powering mills. Much more information on the history is available here. Water is an amazing thing. Soft enough to bath in and drink, and yet powerful enough to carve out canyons through solid granite. 75% of our planet is water. While it might not all be safe to drink, it is fine for creating power. And that's where hydroelectricity comes in. A few centuries ago, water was the primary source of power for many societies. Today, it's primarily used in commercial and industrial industries. There are areas where hydroelectricity is mass produced from dams, providing power for some residents much in the same way coal-fired plants do. It's actually a bit ironic to me that hydroelectricity doesn't get more attention due to the simple fact that as of 2013, more than 50% of the renewable energy used in the U.S., and more than 20% worldwide, was hydropower, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. It also runs at 90% efficiency, which is far greater than solar, wind, and even fossil fuel plants which average around 60% efficiency, according to this. The downside of hydropower is that, for larger scale production, it can be costly to build, is highly susceptible to drought conditions, and can cause major problems environmentaly when dams are used. However, those concerns are nearly non-existent in home use turbines.
Most water turbines fall into one of two categories: impulse or reaction. The type of turbine you choose will be determined by the type of water. Impulse turbines are best suited for high head, low flow water sources. Reaction turbines are just the opposite, being best suited for low head, high flow water sources. The term "head" refers to the height of the water. Under each of these two main classifications, there are a few different examples, each with their own characteristics. This enables a bit more specification to your individual needs. And some of the options even allow for customization in and of themselves. This site explains in much more detail each of these types, how they are built, and how they work. One type of reaction turbine not listed is the Archimedean screw type. While this type has probably been around the longest, having been used as far back as ancient Egypt, it has only become a viable option for home hydropower use within the last 10 years or so. This is a good video showing how the Achimedean screw works.
Now, like everything else, you can go out and buy a turbine and generator. There are several companies out there. The basic home set-up generally starts just under $1,000 and goes up from there. Some only deliver locally, while others will ship worldwide. Some leave it to you to install, others strongly suggest professional installation which will be an additional cost. Some of the different companies that I've come across are here, here, here, and here. I have no experience with these companies. However, they offer a pretty good selection of products for a variety of needs.
All things considered, this, to me, seems to be a relatively easy thing to build, and cost next to nothing. And oh, the ways to build a water turbine are vast. In fact, it's easier to find information on how to build them that it is to find companies from which to buy them. And instructions in building are as varied as the types of turbines, themselves. The obvious plan is to utilize these turbines in a moving body of water, such as a stream or river. I mentioned above that being close to that type of water source is not necessary anymore. The reason for that is simple. Any of these designs, or any that you might be creative enough to come up with, can be adapted to run off of a gray water system. So if you are planning on collecting and reusing water through one of these systems, you can use hydropower. Hydropower is much less expensive to install, and is much more efficient than wind and solar. It would be a shame to not at least consider it for your homestead energy needs. I'll leave you with a collection of links with instructions on building your very own water turbine.
http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-make-a-water-powered-generator-from-an-old-/
http://www.otherpower.com/otherpower_experiments_waterwheel.html
http://beforeitsnews.com/self-sufficiency/2014/12/homemade-water-wheel-electric-generator-2484748.html
http://www.builditsolar.com/Projects/Hydro/UnderShot/WaterWheel.htm
http://www.power-eng.com/articles/print/volume-114/issue-3/Features/fish-friendly-hydro-turbine.html
http://www.greenoptimistic.com/hydroelectric-generator/#.V3na1_krLIU
http://www.instructables.com/id/Home-made-Hydro-Power-System/
http://www.motherearthnews.com/renewable-energy/hydroelectric-power-systems.aspx
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BzN3LDyl_AM
http://www.builditsolar.com/Projects/Hydro/hydro.htm
http://offgridquest.com/energy/hydro-power/former-high-schoolers-amazing-hydro-elec
http://offgridquest.com/energy/how-to-build-a-5-gallon-bucket-hydroelec
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