It contains a complex of interconnected lakes that drain first in a southwest direction and then northward into the Slave River lowland zone.

[3] There is a hydroelectric generating plant at the Twin Gorges Forebay, from where the water flows over Elsie Falls and then for 33 km (21 mi) to Tsu Lake over a series of rapids and through the Nende Chute, a narrow gorge, before entering Tsu Lake.

[7] The river enters the southern shore of Great Slave Lake at the western end of the Simpson Island chain.

[3] A dam on Tazin Lake diverts most of the water to the Charlot River system where it drives hydroelectric facilities that feed the Saskatchewan power grid.

An 18 MW hydro unit with a 300 kW emergency standby diesel generator provides power via 200 km (120 mi) of transmission lines to Fort Smith, Hay River, Hay River Reserve, Fort Resolution and Enterprise.

However, the Northwest Territories Power Corporation (NTPC) states that the operation is similar to a run-of-river generation facility and has minimal impact on the river's natural flow.

[9] In 2007 the Dezé Energy Corporation presented a proposal to expand the Taltson River hydroelectric capacity with a new 36 MW hydroelectric plant at Twin Gorges Forebay to increase total capacity there to 54 MW, and to build a 690 km (430 mi) transmission line to carry power via Taltson Lake and Noncho Lake to the north of Great Slave Lake.

[10] The project would also involve construction of a new control structure and rock-cut discharge canal beside the Nonacho rock-fill dam.