Ribeirão Ponte Alta is a roughly 30-kilometer stream originating in the southwestern portion of the Federal District of Brazil, near the administrative region of Recanto das Emas. It forms at the confluence of Córrego Tamanduá and Córrego do Monjolo, flowing southward through a mosaic of urban developments and semi-rural landscapes that include the regions of Recanto das Emas, Santa Maria, and Gama before eventually crossing the border into Goiás state. The river moves through terrain characteristic of the Brazilian Cerrado, one of the world's most biodiverse savannas, and its watershed connects urban-fringe environments with more conserved Cerrado habitats as it progresses toward its mouth. The broader Cerrado drainage system to which Ribeirão Ponte Alta belongs supports approximately 800 registered fish species, reflecting the remarkable ichthyological richness of this biome.