Cagayan River – the Largest and Longest River in the Philippines

CAGAYAN RIVER

The Cagayan River is the longest and largest river in the Philippine Archipelago. It is located in the Cagayan Valley region in northeastern part of Luzon island and traverses the provinces of Nueva Vizcaya, Quirino, Isabela and Cagayan.

The Cagayan River and its tributaries are subject to extensive flooding during the monsoon season in Southeast Asia from May to October.

The average annual rainfall in 1,000 mm in the northern part and 3,000 mm in the southern mountains where the river’s headwaters lie. Water from the mountains flow down very slowly because of surface retention over the extensive flood plain, the gorges in the gently-sloping mountains and the meandering course of the river.

Photo from: rlbalmaceda.wordpress.com

The Cagayan River, also known as the Rio Grande de Cagayan, is the longest and largest river in the Philippine Archipelago. It is located in the Cagayan Valley region in northeastern part of Luzon Island and traverses the provinces of Nueva Vizcaya, Quirino, Isabela and Cagayan.

The river’s headwaters are at the Caraballo Mountains of the Central Luzon at an elevation of approximately 1,524 metres (5,000 ft). Read More: https://backpackerlifestyles.blogspot.com/2016/04/cagayan-river-longest-and-largest-river.html

Cagayan River Photo from: http://thephilippinewonders.blogspot.com/2011/11/cagayan-river_27.html

Cagayan River and its tributaries have deposited sediments of Tertiary and Quaternary origin, mostly limestone sands and clays, throughout the relatively flat Cagayan Valley which is surrounded by the Cordillera Mountains in the west, Sierra Madre in the east and the Caraballo Mountains in the south.

The river has a drainage area of about 27,300 km². in the provinces of Apayao, Aurora, Cagayan, Ifugao, Isabela, Kalinga, Mountain Province, Nueva Vizcaya, and Quirino.

The estimated annual discharge is 53,943 million cubic meters with a groundwater reserve of 47,895 million cubic meters.

The inundation of the Cagayan River and its tributaries have caused great loss of life and property and substantial losses to the local and national economies. The Philippine government has established several flood warning stations along the river. Experts are specifically monitoring the lower reaches from Tuguegarao to Aparri and the alluvial plain from Ilagan to Tumauini, Isabela.

Photo from: https://backpackerlifestyles.blogspot.com/2016/04/cagayan-river-longest-and-largest-river.html