Davao River

Davao River

Davao River

Watersheds are of important economic value to any country as they primarily store the much needed water for irrigation, provide pasture for grazing, and water for domestic hydroelectric power generation. Watersheds also help maintain ecological balance, minimize the occurrence of floods and droughts, purify and cool the air, control soil erosion, and serve as habitat of animal species.

The island of Mindanao in Southern Philippines has eight major river basins: the Agus River basin, Cagayan de Oro River basin, Tagoloan River basin, Agusan River basin, Mindanao River basin in Cotabato, Tagum-Libuganon River basin, Buayan-Malungan River basin, and the Davao River basin.

The Davao River basin is the third largest river catchment in Mindanao and is the largest of Davao City's nine principal watersheds, namely Lasang, Bunawan, Panacan, Matina, Davao, Talomo, Lipadas, and portions of Inawayan and Sibulan. Davao River ranks number seven among the largest river basins in the Philippines. Out of the nine watersheds, only the Davao-Malagos basin has been declared a protected watershed by the government on August 3, 1903, under Proclamation Number 612. This came to be known as the Malagos watershed in the third district of the city which covers Marilog District, Baguio District, Calinan District, Talomo District and Buhangin District. It has a total land area of about 235 hectares or 0.08% of the total land area of Davao City's nine watersheds. The River is the main natural reservoir of the aquifer in the city of Davao.