Water pressure: Drought easing in Namoi valley, but irrigators likely to spend another year without water

The statement, released Friday, also shows the drought is slowly easing, with the Upper Namoi downgraded to drought level 2.

Tamworth has recorded some of its wettest months in years at Bureau of Meteorology sites across the region.

But the Water NSW statement said the region's dams have received relatively limited rainfall, with "small inflows to the upper storages" amounting to just 2 gigalitres of additional water.

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As a result the upper Namoi region, which covers the regulated sections of river between Split Rock Dam and Keepit Dam, has been downgraded to drought level 2, according to the statement. The lower Namoi remains at level 3.

The region's dams need at least another 35 gigalitres until a shortfall in water inflows has cleared.

Without extra rain, there will not be additional water allocations, according to the statement.

That means many general security licence holders will continue to go without water for another 12 months.

Irrigators in both the upper and lower Namoi regions will likely receive a zero allocation for next year, with high security holders receiving "at least" 90 per cent, according to the report.

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In the Upper Namoi, licence holders will be able to use "carry over" water up to half their share.

If there is water remaining in the Lower Namoi on 30 June it will also be made available.

Domestic, stock and utility water access licences will likely receive their full allocation next year.

Meanwhile, irrigators in the Gwydir region have received their first water allocations in years, with Copeton dam rising to 12.8 per cent full after near-average May rainfall.

Nonetheless, the last 28 months are their third-lowest such period on record.

Water restrictions have been dropping across the region. Tamworth is now the only place in the New England, except for Armidale, subject to the most strict restrictions.

High security allocations in both the Upper and Lower Namoi were increased to 100 per cent in April.

General security holders received half their usual allocation.

It has been 34 months since a general security water licence holder was allocated water from the Lower Namoi area.