In the final showdown, thousands of Basin residents will rally in the streets of Griffith hoping their defiant message will be heard by State and Federal Water Ministers who will meet in Canberra on Friday to discuss the issue.

The Murray Darling Basin Authority – an independent body charged with restoring balance in the basin – has proposed slashing 2750 gigalitres from irrigators’ water allotments to be returned to the environment.

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But residents believe the cuts will cripple those living in the basin, a region that produces 40 per cent of the nation’s food.

NSW Irrigators Council CEO Andrew Gregson said the rally would tell politicians that people, regional economics and vibrant communities matter.

“Tens of thousands of people are inextricably tied to the basin, their jobs, their communities, their businesses and their way of life depend on it,” Mr Gregson said.

“Some call those voices vested interests, we call them people.”

Mr Gregson said the NSW government had been a strong supporter of regional towns and people in this debate.

He hoped the crowd would show NSW Water Minister Katrina Hodgkinson, who plans to attend the rally, that they were worth standing up for.

Mr Gregson said if there was an agreement between the Ministers at the meeting this Friday then a decision should be finalised despite a final response from State Water Minister due on July 5.

There are reports the rally is going to be bigger than two previous protests in the town in which the community held a mock funeral, angry irrigators burned the guide and one farmer even threw a fake horses head at then-boss of the Authority, borrowing from the film The Godfather.