Abaucán River /

The Abaucán is a river in Argentina which flows through the provinces of Catamarca and La Rioja, areas with very low precipitation. It begins in the north of the Tinogasta Department of Catamarca Province, at the confluence of several rivers created by the melting of snow and precipitation in the high Andean peaks, such as the volcano Nevado Incahuasi (6,638 meters), Cerro El Muerto (6,488 metres) and Cerro Negro of Laguna Verde (5,764 metres), which dominates in addition the basin of Salina of Laguna Verde. At first it is called Río Chascuil, then, after having received a stream on the right, the collector of Cerro Cenizo (5,227 meters), it becomes the Río Guanchín down to the spa town of Fiambalá where there are hot springs. There, it receives on its left the Río Fiambalá, a periodic stream coming from the north which drains all the southern part of the Cordillera of San Buenaventura and the Sierra of Culampajá, very dry areas. It there takes the name Río Abaucán, and makes its final orientation toward the south-east. It passes close to the town of Tinogasta, then constitutes the south-southeastern border of the basin of the Salar of Pipanaco, with which it happens that there is