One dredge, the 'Dogo', is currently operating 24 hours a day to keep the mouth open, however the addition of a planned second dredge has not yet been necessary.

Dredging commenced in October 2002, and was only meant to continue until the following winter rains, but a lack of improvement in flows in the river has seen continual dredging of the mouth for the past six years.

The dredging has been done for environmental reasons, maintaining tidal conditions and exchange of ocean waters in the Coorong.

The Murray-Darling Basin Commission advised that inflows to the River Murray in September were almost double those recorded in August.

Four hundred and five gigalitres flowed into the system in September, but inflows are still only a quarter of the long-term average.