The area at Tal-Port in Dwejra sustains a transient freshwater habitat at the interface between the coastal cliffs and the valley system and is entirely dependent on the latter.

Apart from Wied tal-Port this includes tributaries such as Wied ta’ Labbatija, Wied ta’ Kerrex and Wied ta’ Birrix which feed rainwater from the upper to the lower reaches into the transient habitat. This in turn floods a small part of Tal-Port area during the wet season. Since Wied tal-Port is located high above sea level, and is thus known as a hanging valley, excess rainwater run-off seeps from the wetland into Il-Bajja tad-Dwejra solution subsidence structure (doline), which forms part of the renowned Ġebla tal-Ġeneral geomorphological complex.

Mepa scheduled the transient freshwater wetland at Tal-Port as part of a larger Area of Ecological Importance and Area of High Landscape Value. The scheduling was published via Government Notice No. 37 of 2011, dated January 18.