The release of the Connectivity Expert Panel Review interim report two weeks ago has left some experts calling for a clearer picture on how the recommendations will affect communities up and down the Barwon-Darling river system.
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The panel has recommended regulated water sharing plans have a continual end-of-system flow requirement firstly through the restriction of supplementary water take and floodplain harvesting.
In the interim report, the panel said "limitations of the models make it difficult to accurately assess the potential impacts" these recommendations would have.
One of those calling on the panel to explain what the implications would be for the northern basin is Gwydir Valley Irrigators Association's Lou Gall.
Ms Gall has asked both the panel and the Government to please explain and believes a full economic study must be conducted.
"There are a number of targets proposed by the panel which are proposed to provide base flows, small and large freshes, and triggers in Menindee Lakes, but there is no detail as to how the targets are proposed to be applied," she said.
"It is not possible for any stakeholder to make any sort of an informed assessment of the impacts with the information available.
"There's such a lack of insight into the details as to how these targets are proposed to be applied and as such, it's not really possible to have an informed assessment of the impact with the information that's currently available.
"We have asked for information on the proposed volumes that the targets are looking to access and we've also asked for information on the models used to inform the proposed targets.
"At this stage we haven't received anything in those two areas.
"The panel has identified that there are considerable shortcomings in the modeling that's available that will make it really difficult to assess the potential impact upstream, but also the accuracy of the benefits downstream.
"So it really makes you wonder how these recommendations were made.
"It's a little frustrating to make accurate assessments on what might happen or might not happen."
Ms Gall said the writing was on the wall for communities after the declines seen when water left the northern basins during the 2008 water buybacks.
"This isn't about taking water from irrigators," she said.
"This is about the communities that are left behind.
"Moree and Collarenebri saw significant decline in socioeconomic indicators of health, education and employment following buybacks in 2008.
"Those reforms reduced the amount of irrigated cotton that could be produced, resulting in a production loss of $150 million at the farm gate, and a decrease in value to the community of $450 million.
"Where is the economic impact assessment of the connectivity recommendations?
"Did government not learn anything from the last round of water reform?"
Ms Gall believes the recommendations will have a drastic impact on northern communities.
"If we consider a 50 per cent drop in irrigation potential just in the Gwydir, for example a 50pc decrease in irrigated cotton a year, this is conservatively worth $262m at the farm gate and $788m to the community," she said.
"How many more people will lose their jobs?
"How many more businesses will be forced to close?"
