The Abaucán is a river in Argentina which flows through the provinces of Catamarca and La Rioja, areas with very low precipitation. The river water is provided by the ingress of two larger rivers, the Fiambalá and the Chaschuil. In the part of its course where it delimits the southern zone of the basin of the Salar of Pipanaco, its bed is at about the same level as the salar. In the event of significant rising of the streams of the salar, this last can overflow and send its water surplus into the Río Abaucán, contributing greatly to its salinity. The opposite interaction can also occur.