In 1957 the estuary was connected to the sea via 14-m depth navigation canal, therefore the water body de facto transformed to the marine bay.

Northern and western parts are separated by artificial dam and transformed to fresh water ponds.

The modern name, "Dry Estuary", the water body have got in the time when it was isolated from the Black Sea.

That time the estuary dried regularly, sometime up to 1 km² area.

The upper part of the estuary is located in two valleys: The estuary is a place of spawning and feeding of fish, such as flounder, gobies (the grass goby is most numerous), sand-smelts, mullets.