About the LGU Municipal Profile Physical Characteristics
San Mateo is situated in the Southwestern part of Isabela. It is 25 km. away from the City of Santiago and 24 km. away from the City of Cauayan. It is bounded on the North by the Municipality of Cabatuan, on the South by the Municipality of Ramon, on the East by the Municipality of Alicia and on the West by the Province of Ifugao.
It has a total area of approximately 12, 059.83 hectares.
San Mateo, a 1st class municipality, is composed of thirty-three (33) barangays. Each barangay consists of a barangay captain, secretary, treasurer, seven (7) barangay councilmen and SK Chairman.
The climate of San Mateo falls under third type. This type of climate is characterized by no pronounced maximum rain period with a short dry season lasting from one to three months. Rainfall starts in July and continues through December with either October or November as the peak of the rainy season.
The terrain of the municipality is basically plain with 98% of the total land area under 0-2 percent slope category and only 2% of the total area is under the 2.3-5 percent slope category. The excellent topography of the municipality has made irrigation by gravity method applicable in flooding of rice paddies.
The solid type of San Mateo is 49.89% Sta. Rita Clay Loam which is suited for lowland crops like rice, tobacco and mungo. Other soil types are Bago Series (26.04%), San Manuel Series (9.87%), Peñaranda (2.31%), Agustin Series (7.95%) and River Wash Gravel (3.95%).
The long and mighty Magat River, the biggest tributary of the Cagayan River lies in the vast plains devoted to agriculture in the area.
The Tao-Tao River and the four (4) creeks found in the municipality named Porvida, Gaddanan, Macañao and Balaobao are likewise tapped to supply water to elevated portions of agricultural lands through the use of water pumps.
