New South Wales Department of Primary Industries Water says the Darling River is being managed well.

It goes against claims by irrigators and graziers in the lower Darling, near the NSW, Victorian and South Australian borders, who claim the river drying up is a man-made problem.

They argue that low security license holders upstream are being granted allocations they don’t need.

The river has run dry for the third time in just over a decade, but NSW DPI Water says it is due to record low summer rainfall.

Irrigators in the north of the system have allocations for Class A licenses for stock, domestic and town use.

Deputy director general Gavin Hanlon says he knows that living in a state where the water management and allocation systems are not consistent is frustrating.

“These are the worst inflows in history; this is the third time summer rainfalls have failed and that's the first time that's happened in history,” he told ABC reporters this week.

“I certainly understand the frustrations, every state, every valley in Australia has slightly different water rules depending on what catchment they are in.

“C Class users in the north of the system haven't had water for years, there was a small amount of A and B Class water taken this year and that was about 42 gigalitres.

“It's a real balancing act at the moment when there's not enough water to go around.”

Speaking in response, farmers have labelled the comments “erroneous and evasive”.

They continue to blame upstream users, such as farmers and landowners in Queensland.