The south borders of the department are delimited by Río Negro, which, as a result of the dam near Paso de los Toros along its course, forms the Rincón del Bonete Reservoir, also called the Gabriel Terra Reservoir.
With a surface area of about 4,000 square miles (10,000 km²), it is the largest reservoir in South America.
Tributary streams and rivers to the Río Negro, from east to west are:  Río Tacuarembó with its many tributaries, Arroyo de Clara with its tributary Arroyo del Sarandí, Arroyo Malo with its tributaries Arroyo Rolón and Arroyo Guaviyú.
Into the Rincón del Bonete Reservoir discharge the streams Arroyo Carpintería, Arroyo Laureles, Arroyo Achar, Arroyo del Tigre Chico and Arroyo Cardoso.

Part of the western border of the department with if formed by Arroyo Salsipuedes Grande, which discharges further downstream the Río Negro, into the Rincón de Baygorria Reservoir.
A tributary of this stream is Arroyo Salsipuedes Chico.

Tributaries of Río Tacuarembó flowing through most of the north of the department, from east to west, are: Arroyo Caraguatá with its tributaries Arroyo Coronilla, Bañado de los Cinco Sauces and Bañado del Turupí, Arroyo Yaguarí with its tributaries Arroyo Carpintería and Arroyo Cuaró, Arroyo Zapucay, Arroyo Cuñapirú, Arroyo Laureles which also forms part of the northern border of the department, Arroyo de las Cañas, Arroyo Tacuarembó Chico with its tributaries Arroyo Tres Cruces, Arroyo Tranqueras and Arroyo Batoví, and  Arroyo Veras.
A small lake named Laguna Paolino forms on the west side of Arroyo Yaguarí near Ansina.

Along the west border of the department runs the hill range Cuchilla de Haedo, forming the hills Cerro de las Minas, Cerros de Batoví, Cerro Charrúa and Cerro Lambaré.
Further to the west is also the hill Cerro del Ñandubal.
The south borders of the department are delimited by Río Negro, which, as a result of the dam near Paso de los Toros along its course, forms the Rincón del Bonete Reservoir, also called the Gabriel Terra Reservoir. With a surface area of about 4,000 square miles (10,000 km²), it is the largest reservoir in South America. Tributary streams and rivers to the Río Negro, from east to west are:  Río Tacuarembó with its many tributaries, Arroyo de Clara with its tributary Arroyo del Sarandí, Arroyo Malo with its tributaries Arroyo Rolón and Arroyo Guaviyú. Into the Rincón del Bonete Reservoir discharge the streams Arroyo Carpintería, Arroyo Laureles, Arroyo Achar, Arroyo del Tigre Chico and Arroyo Cardoso.
Part of the western border of the department with if formed by Arroyo Salsipuedes Grande, which discharges further downstream the Río Negro, into the Rincón de Baygorria Reservoir. A tributary of this stream is Arroyo Salsipuedes Chico.
Tributaries of Río Tacuarembó flowing through most of the north of the department, from east to west, are: Arroyo Caraguatá with its tributaries Arroyo Coronilla, Bañado de los Cinco Sauces and Bañado del Turupí, Arroyo Yaguarí with its tributaries Arroyo Carpintería and Arroyo Cuaró, Arroyo Zapucay, Arroyo Cuñapirú, Arroyo Laureles which also forms part of the northern border of the department, Arroyo de las Cañas, Arroyo Tacuarembó Chico with its tributaries Arroyo Tres Cruces, Arroyo Tranqueras and Arroyo Batoví, and  Arroyo Veras. A small lake named Laguna Paolino forms on the west side of Arroyo Yaguarí near Ansina.
Along the west border of the department runs the hill range Cuchilla de Haedo, forming the hills Cerro de las Minas, Cerros de Batoví, Cerro Charrúa and Cerro Lambaré. Further to the west is also the hill Cerro del Ñandubal.
Tacuarembó Department