THE Strachan family irrigates permanent plantings on the 13,400-hectare Tulney Point Station from the Lower Darling River.
Rachel Strachan said that from 1943 to 2003, they had an uninterrupted secure supply of water "perfect for growing horticulture".
"We are also supposed to have two years of reserve water, not one," she said.
"But we are in this mess after only one year because of the mismanagement of the lakes."
Rachael said the government "couldn't have it both ways".
"Either provide us with a secure water supply and maintain the status quo or – if they are after a more flexible regime where they want to release water out of the Menindee Lakes at a more rapid rate to benefit other valleys and environmental outcomes in the Murray Darling Basin Plan – allocate money to our proposed adjustment package," she said.
"Even if it did rain again, this still needs to be considered because emotionally our businesses can't keep going through uncertainty of water supply every 4-5 years."
Rachael said the proposed package had benefits for the irrigators involved and groups in other regions.
"The plan will mean there is less water required from our local system," she said.
"It will be good for the River Murray and Lower Lakes while upstream it will benefit NSW's security supply, northern rivers not having to be embargoed and so on.
"We would also like to move on with another chapter in our lives, and this proposal will help us to do that and stay locally in the agriculture industry."