Agusan River 3.38

Agusan River is a river in the Philippines. It is located in the north-eastern part of Mindanao island, draining majority of the Caraga Region and some parts of Compostela Valley province. It is the country's third largest river basin (after Cagayan River and Rio Grande de Mindanao) with a total drainage area of and an estimated length of from its origin. The headwaters of the river are found in the mountains of Compostela Valley, near its border with Davao Oriental and east of Tagum City. It flows through the wide Agusan River valley which measures 177km from south to north and varies from 32-48 kilometers (20–30 miles) in width. It finally drains into the Butuan Bay at its mouth in Butuan City.One of the prominent features in the Agusan River basin is the presence of the Agusan Marsh covering a total area of 19,197 hectares. The marsh serves a flood retention basin for the Agusan River, cutting the high discharge of water causing flash floods in the lower reaches of the river. Aside from that, the marsh harbors unique and pristine habitats like the sago and peat swamps forest and is a home to endangered and endemic flora and fauna. As a consequence, it was declared by former President Fidel V. Ramos as a wildlife sanctuary in 1996.