The comments by Mr Funnell, who is an executive member of the Murray-Darling Association, come after farmers groups called for the state government to take action on a year-old report by Water NSW which suggests a raft of improvements for water storage in the state, including the construction of four new dams, at a cost of just under $3 billion, in the Murrumbidgee, Border, Gwydir and Peel areas.

Construction of a new dam on the Murrumbidgee River at Oura, with a potential capacity of up to 1000 gigalitres, is one of the options listed for the region. The capital cost is estimated at $924 million.

Other options for the Murrumbidgee River include a dam on the river at Mingay, near Gundagai, a new dam on the Tumut River near Darbalara, new off-stream storage near Bundidgerry Creek or raising the existing Burrunjuck Dam.

Mr Funnell, a farmer whose Collingullie property has Murrumbidgee River frontage, believes an upgrade to Burrinjuck Dam needs to be made a priority and said any improvements would also allow the development of state-owned hydro power on the site.

"Burrinjuck Dam has only got 40 or 50 years left in it. Planning on new walls needs to start now," he said.

Mr Funnell said the "elephant in the room" about plans for additional storage capacity upriver from Wagga was the city still provided a "choke" for water flows.

"You've still got to get it past Wagga," he said.

Mr Funnell said any plans for the future of the Murrumbidgee also needed to take into account not only environmental and user needs, but also the future health of the river banks and the impact of any future flooding on privately owned land.

"Without proper thought, in 20 or 30 years' time, there won't be a tree left on the river bank," he said.

Member for Wagga Joe McGirr said he had been in talks with Minister for Water Melinda Pavey about the dams proposal and that "it was clear they were just beginning to consider it".

Dr McGirr said the issue of water reliability had been made more significant by the drought, but that any change to water storage would have knock-on effects elsewhere in the rivers system.

Member for Murray Helen Dalton is also backing an upgrade of Burrinjuck.

"I've long supported a Burrinjuck upgrade, it's filled five times since the millennium drought," she said.

"I'd also strongly support a renewed push for water storage facilities being built at Lake Coolah and Lake Mejum, from where water can be effectively delivered to the MIA"

"We can't let this opportunity slip yet again".