A DAMNING new report has revealed the catastrophic impact substantial cuts to water allocations will have on the local community.
Griffith stands to experience an exodus of residents, lose thousands of jobs and millions of dollars in productivity if it is stripped of water entitlement under the Murray-Darling Basin plan, according to researcher Judith Stubbs and Associates.
The report, produced on behalf of the cotton industry, claims that Griffith -due to its inextricable link to irrigation -would be among the most vulnerable communities to a permanent reduction in water allocations.
Its modelling shows that a halving in water availability would slash the local workforce by nearly 20 per cent and see Griffith's population shrink to 1976 levels.
A 25 per cent reduction in allocations would see the population decline by nearly 13 per cent, while even just a 10 per cent loss would result in unemployment rising 4 per cent.
Paul Pierotti from the Griffith Chamber of Commerce and Our Future is Local said the study was an alarming snapshot of Griffith's future unless water was retained in the valley.
"From a business perspective, you either grow or die -you cannot stay still," Mr Pierotti said.
"The fact that this report is talking about population decline by up to 5000 people is a real concern.
"We need to see our population increase or we are going to go backwards in a real hurry and a major way."
Nationals senator Fiona Nash, who was in Griffith yesterday to meet with water stakeholders, said the report demonstrated the need to strike a balance between the needs of the environment and those of irrigation communities.
"This report highlights the significant and permanent impacts cuts to water will have on regional communities, which the government has completely ignored," Ms Nash said.
"The government has done virtually no work in investigating the social and economic impacts of the cuts and there has been delay after delay in the release of the plan.
"The key issue here is that water cuts don't just affect farmers; they affect entire regional communities and the whole country as well."
NSW Irrigators Council executive officer Andrew Gregson said the report exposed the true toll the loss of water entitlements on the entire country.
"The report clearly shows that each and every Australian would be forced to pay for this policy," Mr Gregson said.
"The report identifies that tens of thousands of jobs would be lost. These numbers are horrific and a clear damnation of a poor policy approach.
"The social impacts are equally as horrific, with those that are currently most disadvantaged being identified as the people to suffer most under brutal cuts."