A hydraulic turbine includes a runner having a shaft, a runner crown, and a runner tip. Blades are fixed to the runner crown and are rotatable around an axis of rotation in operation of the hydraulic turbine, each blade including a leading edge and a trailing edge. A first chamber is located between the runner crown and a stationary head cover, or within head cover. A second chamber is located in the runner tip. A passage for water is defined between the first chamber and the second chamber. The runner crown has an upper portion and a lower portion, the upper portion having a larger diameter than the lower portion such that a channel is defined between the upper and lower portions. The channel has a circular shape and a circular symmetry around the axis of rotation and leads to a discharge region below the runner.