The Río Copiapó flows through the Atacama Region of northern Chile, draining one of the world's driest desert landscapes as it descends from the Andean highlands toward the Pacific coast. The river originates in the high-altitude Puna zone and passes through the city of Copiapó before continuing westward. Its watershed encompasses dramatic elevation changes, from alpine headwaters above 3,000 meters down through arid desert valleys, creating a range of habitat types along its course. The Lautaro reservoir, situated approximately 800 meters above sea level within the Copiapó River watershed, plays a notable role in the river system and has been a point of introduction for salmonid species into the broader watershed.