MIA irrigators could see a return to no general security water allocation by July, according to a preliminary outlook released by the state's water department.
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A 'conservatively based' outlook for the 2020-21 water year released by the Department of Planning, Industry and Environment (DPIE) has indicated the general security allocation for the Murrumbidgee Valley will be at 'low or zero' by July 1 based on assumed 'extreme dry' inflow conditions for the remainder of the 2019-20 water year, with only five of the past 100 years of historical record seeing drier conditions.
Town water supplies, domestic and stock access licenses and sub-category high security entitlements are expected to have 100 per cent allocation for 2020-21, while high security allocation users will have 95 per cent available, with carryover commitments due to be met.
Irrigator John Bonetti said the outlook is worrying and if more isn't done for general security users in the near future, the area will suffer economically.
"We've just lost all security with general security allocations," Mr Bonetti said.
"There is no rice growing in the area, there is not much cotton... the knock-on effect is going to be unreal."
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Mr Bonetti said if a predicted zero allocation for general security users is ahead in the coming months, advantage should be taken of recent rainfall to help give growers enough time to finish their crops before the allocation drops.
The department has stated the forecast is not guaranteed and will be further refined as the 2020-21 water year approaches, with the latest water allocation update indicating general security allocations have remained at six per cent.
Federal water minister Keith Pitt said during a stop in Griffith he has asked DPIE for advice as to what inflows irrigators in the area could be expecting based off recent heavy rainfall in the Tumut region.
"There has been rainfill in a number of areas," Mr Pitt said.
"It will take some days, if not weeks for that to travel down the Murray-Darling system."
As of February 20, water levels at Blowering Dam is rising at 37.2 per cent capacity while Burrinjuck Dam is also rising, sitting at 33.9 per cent capacity.