The Lawa River is a river in East Kalimantan province, Borneo island, Indonesia, about 150 kilometers northwest of Balikpapan. It is a branch of the Mahakam River in eastern Borneo, which is situated entirely within the Kutai Barat and flows into the Mahakam approximately 200 kilometers (120 mi) upstream from Samarinda. The indigenous communities of Lotaq and Mejaun are situated near its source.