Ghadira s-Safra
Ghadira s-Safra is a seasonally flooded marshland of area 0.8ha, and generally located less than 1m above mean sea level on the northeastern coast of Malta, in the Maghtab-Ghallis area. The site outcrops on the Xlendi member of the Lower Coralline Limestone Bed which is of Oligocene age.
The substratum consists of a fine reddish soil underlain by a thin layer of alluvial clay, which enables the marsh to retain water. In most years, the marsh contains water during the wet season (September/October to March/April) and is completely desiccated throughout summer.
During the course of a typical wet season, Ghadira s-Safra undergoes several cycles of alternate wetting and drying since the large surface area and shallow depth of the water promote high rates of evapotranspiration which are sufficient to cause drying between successive flooding episodes.
