As the big dry continues to bite, the Peel River’s 200 irrigators are being slugged thousands of dollars in entitlement fees for water they can’t even access.

Only substantial rain in catchment areas can save the season from oblivion, with Chaffey Dam sitting at just 38 per cent.

Attunga dairy farmer Jamie Drury has abandoned any chance of planting a successful summer crop and said the lack of water was jeopardising food security for his 240 milking cows.

“A lot of guys are hoping we get something by the end of the season, but we’d need some really significant inflows,” Mr Drury said.

“We normally have the ability to grow enough forage for all our needs, but not this season.

“We’ve got no security to grow corn for silage and we’re not even going to bother planting a summer crop.

“The worst thing is, we’ve still got to pay fixed (irrigation) costs whether we get any water or not.”

He said the local milk industry generated up to $20 million a year in sales, much of it that would normally be pumped back into the local economy.

“It’s not chicken feed; it affects everyone,” he said.

He said householders complaining about water restrictions needed a dose of perspective.

“We get put on zero per cent a long time before council even dreams of water restrictions,” Mr Drury said.

“This is our livelihood at stake, not just our garden.”

High security irrigators have 50 per cent of their allocation for the season, which ends on June 30, 2015.

Peel Valley Water Users president Ildu Montecone said fears were rising the low allocations could extend to a second season.

“Unless Chaffey gets significant inflows, our irrigators are in a perilous position,” Mr Montecone said.

“We could easily end up at zero per cent by the end of the season.

“But even in these tough years, you live in hope.”