The river begins at the conflux of three tributary streams a little south of the village of Miões in the municipality of Silves.

The river runs for a length of 12.2 miles (19.6 km) from its conflux to the mouth at the Atlantic Ocean in south central Algarve.

[4][5] At Armação de Pêra the river is the main tributary to an area of shallow salt marsh which over the years has been neglected and is polluted.

[6] Plans have been made to improve the environment in the near future as the wetlands are an important habitat for water fowl and a wintering and nesting site for a numerous species of birds.

The wetland is also an important stopping point for thousands of migrating birds.