The NSW Government plans to shut down the lower Lachlan River, threatening the future of thousands of farming families in one of the state's prime food production regions.
The shut down which will close the river below the NSW central west town of Condobolin is intended to secure summer water supplies for major towns upstream from the Hillston irrigation area.
The move has angered farmers, who say it will be the first time in Australia's history a government has deliberately blocked off a river, ''turning off the tap'' for farms and towns downstream from Lake Cargelligo.
The closure also means 52billion litres of Lachlan water entitlements, purchased by the Rudd Government as part of a $303million water buyback to restore river health, will not be delivered.
A spokeswoman for climate change minister Senator Penny Wong confirmed the Federal Government would receive ''zero allocation'' for environmental flows under NSW Government arrangements to close the lower Lachlan.
For more, pick up a copy of today's Canberra Times
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