[1] The name Deseado comes from the English Desire, the name of one of the two ships commanded by John Davis during the Thomas Cavendish expedition of 1592.

In 1898, a canal was built that turned it into today's Rio Deseado, flowing for 615 kilometres (382 mi) before reaching the Atlantic Coast.

[3] The river sometimes disappears under the arid terrain, to re-emerge before reaching Puerto Deseado on Santa Cruz's coastline, where it produces a deep-water natural port.

The outlet of the river has become submerged and inundated by sea water, forming an estuary.

This article about a place in Santa Cruz Province, Argentina is a stub.