Rio Chapecó is a river flowing through the western highlands of Santa Catarina, Brazil, situated within the upper Rio Uruguay drainage basin. The river winds through a landscape shaped by the subtropical interior of Santa Catarina, passing near communities such as São Domingos and Água Doce before contributing its waters to the broader Uruguay system. As a tributary of the Rio Uruguay, the Chapecó drains a region of rolling terrain and native Atlantic Forest remnants, giving it the character of a warm-water subtropical river with diverse fish communities. The river has also served as a type locality for several scientifically described fish species, underscoring its biological significance within the upper Uruguay basin.