The Northern Basin Forum will be held in Tamworth in May

It comes as the federal government's tender process to buy back 44.5 gigalitres of water every year from irrigators and farmers is set to expire on May 19.

Country Mayors Association chair Jamie Chaffey who helped organise The Northern Basin Forum being held at the Tamworth Jockey Club, wants to know what the Minister for Water Tanya Plibersek plans to do if the federal government does not reach their target by the deadline?

"She hasn't been clear about how she will get that water," Mr Chaffey said.

"If farmers are saying they don't want to sell it to her, will the government do it forcibly? That's what has people concerned."

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And with the Murray Darling Basin Plan set to expire in June 2024, Mr Chaffey said many people in the northern basin area are concerned there will be more water to recover.

"Is there a basin plan 2.0? There's a lot of information we really need to know," Mr Chaffey said.

Among those to speak at the event, include the federal government's Inspector General of Water Compliance Hon Troy Grant, Murray Darling Basin Authority CEO Andrew McConville, MDB experts, Irrigation and Industry heads.

Tamworth mayor Russell Webb said the federal government is looking at taking "about 9.5 gigalitres out of our part of the world".

"That is a huge amount of water out of the basin," Mr Webb said.

"Water is plentiful but it's not always plentiful. So when we hit dry times we need to know how the government will manage the supply of water."

The event is organised by the Murray Darling Association MDA which advocates on behalf of water users across the 164 local government areas that cross the river system from Queensland through to NSW, Victoria and South Australia.

Mr Chaffey said there will be huge concern especially from primary producers, manufacturers, and farmers not only in the Tamworth and Gunnedah regions, but for all those in the northern basin area, if the government takes more water away from commercial users.

Tickets are available via the Murray Darling Association's website.

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