How does a cutterhead suction dredge work?

Cutterhead suction dredging consists of agitating the sea floor via a rotating cutterhead. The material is then suctioned through the pipe as a slurry mixture (water/material mixture). The slurry then enters the floating section of the dredge where it passes through the pump and is discharged out the pipeline to the disposal area. Disposal areas vary depending on the project (in water disposal, upland fill, beach nourishment, etc). The dredge is held in place via an anchoring pole, which is called a spud, allowing the dredge to swing back and forth using anchors to dig the material.