Ribeirão do Torto is a roughly 20-kilometer stream located entirely within the Federal District of Brazil. It originates in the Parque Nacional de Brasília, where it is formed by the confluence of Ribeirão Tortinho and Córrego Três Barras, and flows to the northern arm of Lago Paranoá. Its drainage basin covers approximately 249.76 km², and the stream maintains an average gradient of 7.8 m/km with a mean discharge of 2.89 m³/s. That gradient figure — nearly 8 meters per kilometer averaged across the full course — suggests a stream with meaningful current and likely some technical sections, though the character varies along its length.

Before reaching Lago Paranoá, the stream passes through the Granja do Torto (the official presidential country residence whose name it inspired), and then through the administrative regions of Varjão and Lago Norte. Along this lower stretch, the stream is affected by pollution from residents of adjacent communities, which is a significant water quality concern for anyone considering contact with the water.

A CAESB water-intake dam sits along the stream's course, serving as a potable water capture point that supplies approximately 30% of Brasília's drinking water. The presence of this dam represents a physical obstacle that would require a portage and may also be subject to access restrictions given its role in the city's water supply infrastructure.

Paddlers should be aware that the stream's headwaters lie within the Parque Nacional de Brasília, a protected federal conservation unit, which may carry specific regulations regarding recreational use in that portion of the watershed.