The river management documents,known as water resource plans,set rules about how much water can be taken from the critical river system for irrigation and other purposes and were due to be lodged with the independent Murray Darling Basin Authority last July.
The drought gripping much of the state,the worst on record,has had a serious impact on the Murray Darling Basin,killing more than a million fish and leaving parts of the river system labelled an"ecosystem in crisis"by the state's Natural Resources Commission.
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The reopening of hostilities between the Commonwealth and the Berejiklian government,exacerbated last year after Deputy Premier John Barilaro threatened to walk away from the Murray Darling Basin Plan altogether,puts at risk several major regional water projects.
"I am disappointed these plans were not able to be submitted by the end of last year,given the many years over which New South Wales has had to develop these plans and that the Commonwealth[extended] the deadline for submission,"Mr Littleproud wrote to Water Minister Melinda Pavey.
"It is not my intention to approve Commonwealth expenditure to New South Wales related to the Basin Plan until there is demonstrated progress on water resource plans.
"This includes the additional funding of $7.9 million in relation to the extension of the development of the New South Wales Floodplain Harvesting Policy which was contingent on satisfactory delivery of New South Wales WRPs by 31 December 2019.