BASIN HYDROLOGY AND

WETLAND DYNAMICS OF
AGUSAN MARSH

Guillermo Q. Tabios III

Department of Civil Engineering and
National Hydraulic Research Center
University of Philippines, Diliman, Quezon City

Agusan Marsh Scientific Conference

Balanghai Hotel, Butuan City
May 21-23, 2007
Outline of Presentation

• Considerations in managing Agusan Marsh

• Hydrology of Agusan River basin
• Wetland dynamics of Agusan marsh
• Implications and impact of water resource
development on the hydrology, wetland dynamics
including ecology of Agusan Marsh
On Sustainable Development of Water
Resources
The sustainable utilization and development of watershed,
river and coastal resources must balance economic
development and environmental protection.

Economic development is to satisfy basic needs, to alleviate

poverty, to enhance economic and social equity, and to
improve the quality of human life.

Environmental protection is to ensure ecological integrity of

the environment to support biological life in general and to
maintain genetic diversity, resilience and biological
productivity in particular.
…. On Sustainable Development of Water
Resources

Thus, a sound and enhanced environment is a necessary

condition to ensure economic efficiency and sustainability.

An environmentalist or ecologist treat sustainability as

preservation of the natural function and status of the
ecological system; whereas an economist emphasizes on
the maintenance and enhancement of human living
standards as indices of sustainability.
On Ecosystem-based Management

Ecosystem – interaction between all-living and non-living

elements

Ecosystem-based approach – managing natural resources

based on interdependence of soil, water, forest, terrain
and human settlements (and their activities).

Also, ecosystem-based management recognizes that

people as part of living elements are dependent on a
healthy ecosystem for food, water and shelter.
Main elements of the Agusan River Basin
environment

• water
• forest
• soil
• terrain
• human settlements (and their activities)

Water, forest and soil are the most critical elements in

the Agusan River basin (CTI-HALCROW-WOODFIELDS
2006)
… Water as critical element of the Agusan
River Basin environment
Water quantity concerns are due to competing uses of
water such as:
• domestic water supply versus irrigation;
• alleviation of flooding in populated areas versus
floodwater needs of the marsh; and,
• upland water needs versus coastal urban and
ecological water needs.
Water quality concerns are mainly due to contamination
of surface and groundwater resources from:
• mining;
• agricultural wastes especially chemical and pesticides;
and,
• urban liquid and solid wastes.
… Forest as critical element of the Agusan
River Basin environment

The massive logging of forests in Agusan in the early

1950’s and 1960 has reduced forest cover.

Due to lack of forest cover, soil erosion and eventual

sedimentation in low lying rivers and floodplains as well
as occasional landslides had increased.

Also, through private and government efforts, the

endemic forest have been replaced with exotic trees, and
some of the original forest lands were converted to
banana plantations.
… Soil as critical element of the Agusan
River Basin environment
The lack of forest cover, uncontrolled mine tailings, steep
slope farming and kaigin farming, has significantly
increased soil erosion.

The eroded soil increased suspended sediment loads

(thus turbidity) as well as siltation of water bodies (thus
shallowing of rivers and floodplains).

High turbidity and heavy siltation adversely affect the

productivity and diversity of aquatic flora and fauna.
Alternative objectives in managing Agusan
marsh to satisfy the environmental and
ecological goals

1. Maintain or restore the natural condition based on

historical past. In this case, the hydrologic and
hydraulic conditions that is conducive to fish and
aquatic life such as frequency and extent of flooding
of the wetland, recession rates in the drying and
flooding cycles, and desirable ranges of velocity and
flow depths will be maintained or restored. This
approach is attractive when directed towards diverse
biological communities.
…. Alternative objectives in managing
Agusan marsh to satisfy the environmental
and ecological goals
2. Achieve a certain specific ecological criteria for
selected species. If the ecologic criteria of certain
species can be determined, then the river or marsh
conditions specific to their needs can be maintained.
These conditions include river flow properties needed
at different life stages, acceptable levels of sediment
in the flow, and magnitude and frequency of flooding.
…. Alternative objectives in managing
Agusan marsh to satisfy the environmental
and ecological goals

3. Maintain stable river basin system. This may not

always satisfy various ecological criteria. However, it
minimizes sudden or abrupt perturbations in the river
system causing adverse impacts on the biological
communities. A stable river means river in dynamic
equilibrium, not static.
Hydrology of Agusan River Basin in general
and Agusan Marsh in particular
• Basin topography
• Watershed delineation and river network
• Slope and Soil Properties
• Rainfall patterns
• Streamflow regimes
Agusan River Basin

(from CTI-HALCROW-
WOODFIELDS 2007)
 THREE DIMENSIONAL VIEW
Agusan River
OF THE Basin
PROJECT SITE
Vertical Exaggeration: 7
Sun Azimuth: Northeast: 32.69o
Sun Altitude: Low: 30.00o

Agusan
Marsh

(from CTI-
HALCROW-
WOODFIELDS
2007)
Agusan River Basin
River Network

(from CTI-HALCROW-
WOODFIELDS 2007)
Agusan River Basin
17 Sub-Basins

(from CTI-HALCROW-
WOODFIELDS 2007)
 R iv e r P e rc e n t o f
C a tc h m e n t
In d e x S u b -B a si n s th e B a sin
A re a
N um be r Are a
1 B ug abo s 170.5 5 1 .4 3
2 O jot 924.2 0 7 .7 4
3 L ib a n g 246.5 6 2 .0 7
4 M a as a m 418.2 0 3 .5 0
5 K a s il a n 376.8 9 3 .1 6
6 A dg aon 984.8 1 8 .2 5
7 K ay ona n 729.4 7 6 .1 1
8 H ao an 746.3 4 6 .2 5
9 L o g o m -B a o b o 291.2 0 2 .4 4
10 M a nat 1,758.2 0 14.73
11 S im ulao 978.3 8 8 .2 0
12 L agc oga ngan 159.7 5 1 .3 4
13 G ibon g 926.3 8 7 .7 6
14 W a w a -A n d a n o n 764.1 4 6 .4 0
15 T a g u ib o 75.7 2 0 .6 3
To t a l 9,550.7 8 80.01
B a sin A r e a 1 1,936.5 5

(from CTI-HALCROW-
WOODFIELDS 2007)
Agusan River Basin
Slope Map

(from CTI-HALCROW-
WOODFIELDS 2007)
Agusan River Basin
Soil Texture

(from CTI-HALCROW-
WOODFIELDS 2007)
 La Suerte, Prosperidad, Agusan del Sur

700
Average Rainfall
Maximum
600 Minimum

500
Monthly Rainfall (mm)

400

300

200

100

0
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
Months
 2250

4000

2500

3000
4000

3750

3500

3250

3750

2750

Annual Rainfall
Isohyetal Pattern

(from CTI-HALCROW-
WOODFIELDS 2007)
Flood Inundation Map
Generated from 30-yr
Rainfall

(from CTI-HALCROW-
WOODFIELDS 2007)
 Agusan Marsh Flood Hydrograph
Generated from 30-yr Storm Rainfall
Total Discharge Entering
Tributaries that Flow into
Agusan Marsh
Flow into Agusan Marsh
Agusan Marsh Outflow

(from CTI-HALCROW-
WOODFIELDS 2007)
Existing and Proposed Water Resources
Development in Agusan River Basin
• CARDBP-PMO (2003)
• CTI-HALCROW-WOODFIELDS (2007)
• HASSALL (2003)
CARDBP-PMO (2003) Proposed dam constructions including
characteristics of main river channels and major tributaries in
Agusan River Basin.
 CTI-HALCROW-WOODFIELDS (2007)
List of Proposed Flood Management Projects
ARB Master Plan, 2005-2006
Proposed Flood Management Projects, ARB Master Plan
Am o unt Be ne fit:Co s t
No. P r oje ct Sub -Bas in (P0 00 at 2006 FIRR EIRR Ratio @ 12 %
Pr ice s ) pe r ann um

Implementation of the B utuan City Drainage no

1 Minor 948,500 17.0% 1.3
Sys tem Master Pla n revenu e

Preparation of Drainage System Ma s ter Plan (one p ac kage pro ject; cost w as
2
divided equally fo r allocation purposes only ):

Mon ka yo Manat 2,801 study phas e

Mon tevista Manat 2,801 study phas e
Nabun turan Manat 2,801 study phas e
Tala cogon Ka silan 2,801 study phas e
San Francis co Gibong 2,801 study phas e
Bayug an Waw a-A nda nan 2,801 study phas e
R T Romualdez Minor 2,801 study phas e
Esperanza Ojot 2,801 study phas e
Las Niev es Minor 2,801 study phas e
Mag allan es Minor 2,801 study phas e
To tal 28,008
Feasibility S tudy f or a Multipurpose Outlet
Sys tem to Increase Surcharge Capac ity of
3 A gusan Marsh 22,418 study phas e
the A gusan Ma rsh (Floo d, Water Supply
and Irrigation )
Upd ate and Implementa tion of the Upp er
no
4 A gusan Flood Con trol and Drainag e Manat 1 ,974,111 15.3% 1.5
revenu e
Sys tem Project
Establishme nt of Flood Wa rning and sy stem co uld be ins talle d w ithin six
5 basinw ide 11,550
Forecasting Sy stem Project months
To tal Flo od M anage m e nt Pr ogr am 2 ,984,587
(from CTI-HALCROW-
WOODFIELDS 2007)
(from CTI-HALCROW-
WOODFIELDS 2007)
Implications and Impacts of Existing and
Proposed Water Resources Development in
Agusan River Basin
• Planned upstream reservoirs will:
ƒ decrease surface water inflow to Agusan Marsh;
ƒ modify flooding frequency and spatial extent of
Agusan Marsh;
ƒ lower water table due to decrease watershed
recharge;
ƒ decrease freshwater inflow towards Agusan River in
Butuan City; and,
ƒ decrease groundwater flux to coastal zone causing
saltwater intrusion and hypersalinity condition in the
mangrove forest in the Agusan River estuary
• Planned diking and river straightening destroys
dynamic equilibrium resulting in other flooding and
sedimentation problems
Water situation of Agusan River Basin and Agusan
Marsh in particular (CARDBP-PMO, 2003)
Impacts of planned reservoirs in the Agusan River
Basin and Agusan Marsh in particular
Candaba Swamp as Detention Pond for
Ecological and Flood Control Purposes (an
example)
The Candaba swamp serves as a habitat for local and migratory
birds thereby an ecotourism site. It also acts a natural flood
detention basin during the wet season.
Percentages of time the area (highlighted) is flood inundated

To maintain its ecological function, a major hydrologic criterion

is to maintain its historical flood inundation frequency.
 RIVER STRAIGHTENING PROBLEM
Consider a meandering river.

flow In 1D approaches, the relevant streamwise

coordinate is measured as an arc length down
the channel centerline. The long profile of the
river is as illustrated below. The fluctuations
A are induced by the meanders themselves.

η
B

x (arc length coordinate)

 RIVER STRAIGHTENING (contd.)
Now suppose the bends between points A and B are cut off due to river straightening.

B
A

flow The elevation drop between A and B

is the same as before straightening
ambient slope (at least initially), but the distance
between A and B is much shorter. As
A
a result bed slope is elevated
steepened slope
between A and B compared to the
reaches upstream and downstream.
η
ambient slope

x (arc length coordinate)

 RIVER STRAIGHTENING (contd.)
U
A
∂η
∂t
∂q
=− t
∂x
→ η t + Δt = η t +
1
Δx
(
qt x − qt x + Δx
)Δt
The sediment transport rate
η is higher over the
B steepened reach.
D
qt

The reach UA must degrade (bed elevation must decrease in time), as there is
more sediment output than input.

The reach between B and D must aggrade (bed elevation must increase in time),
as there is more sediment input than output.
 RIVER STRAIGHTENING (contd.)
U Initial long profile after straightening.
A
Evolving long profile.

Final equilibrium long

η profile: ∂qt/∂x = 0 thus
B ∂η/∂t = 0
D

The upstream part of the reach must degrade and the downstream part must
aggrade until a new equilibrium profile is established.

The above 1D picture is a simplified version of reality: too much aggradation

downstream will cause the river to avulse (jump channel). Nevertheless, it
captures the essentials of the problem.
Stream types and classification
Maintenance of equilibrum river meander
geometry – based on bankfull flow, which is below
flood overflow levels.
Saltwater intrusion further inland in Agusan River at
Butuan City estuary if freshwater inflow is reduced

From Agusan National

High School Einstein Class
1999 (web)
Adverse impact to ecosystem health of mangrove
forest due to reduced groundwater recharge and flux
Future Work or Discussions
• Planners, engineers, ecologists and scientists should
learn from each other’s perspectives and knowledge to
properly manage our environment in general and water
resources systems in particular
• In the planning and management of Agusan River Basin,
objective measures should be established to ensure and
assess that ecological goals and targets
• The natural course and dynamics of nature must be
recognized and respected since tampering nature can
can be costly
• Modeling and simulation studies is a useful tool in the
planning and management Agusan River Basin to
properly assess the impacts and implications of any
water resource developments on the wetland dynamics
and ecological integrity of Agusan Marsh in particular
The author gratefully acknowledges Dr.
Jurgenne Primavera for invitation and travel
funds to this conference and Dr. Rey Medina
of Woodfields Consultants for allowing the
use various figures in this presentation.