New South Wales would have to brace for employment cuts and other extreme measures in order to save the Murray Darling river system.

In an interview over ABC today, planned cuts to irrigation would have major effects on agricultural production, employment, and livelihood. Nevertheless, all these will be complimented by a longer life of the Murray-Darling Basin, authority officers said today.

The Murray Darling Basin Authority has initiated a round of consultations to ensure that all stakeholders will have a say and can take part.

Authority officers have predicted that water reductions in terms of water allocations may result in losses of up to no less than 800 job losses and significant social and economic impacts across the basin.

A related ABC report said: "the area is heavily reliant on orchards, viticulture, food, and fibre crops for its $2 billion economy. One winery alone brings in $700 million to the region."

Irrigators' group Macquarie River Food and Fibre (MRFF) said in a statement that the worse estimates placed 1,000 to 2,000 jobs in the valley will be lost.

Spokeswoman Susan Madden said Narromine would particularly suffer from cuts to the groundwater draw.

"Narromine went through some fairly severe cuts a few cuts a few years ago as part of the Achieving Sustainable Groundwater Entitlements Programme," she said.

"So now here we are, we've had modelling to show the aquifer under the current scenario has responded and here we have a federal authority saying a further 40 per cent of groundwater cuts are required."

Ms Madden says the planned cuts are devastating and could result in $100 million to $150 million a year in lost production in the valley.

She said the group believes the measures are an expensive way to achieve environmental objectives and will take up its case before the final Murray Darling Basin Plan is developed.