Its basin is mostly in the state of Jalisco, and extends into portions of Aguascalientes, Zacatecas, Guanajuato, and San Luis Potosí.

El Purgatorio reservoir is proposed on the lower river, near its confluence with the Rio Grande de Santiago.

The Jalisco communities of Temacapulín, Palmarejo, and Acasico, which would be permanently flooded by the reservoir, have opposed the project, delaying its completion with lawsuits.

It was originally intended to provide water for both Guadalajara and León, which lies immediately southeast of the Río Verde basin.

[5] The smaller dam was completed in 2024, which saved the three local villages from being flooded while still providing water to Guadalajara using the new El Salto–La Red–Calderón aqueduct.