The dam, one of the smallest under the control of the State Water arm of the NSW Department of Land and Water Conservation, is the major source of irrigation water supplies within the Bega Valley Shire.

When full it holds 8,980 megalitres, has a surface area of 100 hectares and a maximum depth of 28 metres.

Currently it is at only 19.3 per cent capacity with 1890 megalitres, has a surface area of about 40 hectares and is 10.5 metres below full depth.

Despite its current low level the dam has experienced far lower levels on two previous occasions - dropping to just 14 per cent in 1998 and only four per cent in 1983, before irrigation bans were imposed.

State Water's officer in charge at the dam, Mr Peter Clemson, said such a situation would not be allowed to a happen again.

"The average rainfall at the dam site is 900mm but in 2002 only 379mm was recorded.

"New State government regulations, based on the assumption that there will be no rain in the period, require that we retain sufficient water to ensure town supplies for two years and we are fast approaching that point with the water level dropping by about 30cm a day.

"This means that all irrigation from the Brogo River will be banned if or when f the dam level drops to 1200 megalitres.

"Currently we are releasing 68 megalitres a day which is about 0.8 per cent of current storage and have been doing so since July 2002.

Normally we don't need to begin releasing until about November.

"Brogo River irrigators are already on only 60 per cent of their normal allocation and are, in fact, on restrictions at all times, other than when the dam is spilling naturally," Mr Clemson said.

Meanwhile, the Bega Valley Shire Council is also looking at the introduction of Level 2 water use restrictions in its town supply systems to the Quaama, Cobargo, Bermagui and Wallaga Lake areas (including Akolele).

This involves a complete ban on the use of unattended hoses and fixed watering devices such as sprinklers.

Lawns must not be watered at any time and gardens can only be watered with hand-held hoses, trigger hoses or watering cans between 6am and 8am or between 6pm and 8pm for a maximum of one hour.

The watering of driveways, footpaths, roads and gutters is not permitted at any time, except in the case of emergency.

Level 1 restrictions were introduced last November for residents connected to the shire's southern area supply systems.

An environmental scientist with council's water and wastewater section, Mr Ken McLeod, said falling water levels in Brogo Dam would impact on water quality.

"There is a four kilometre stretch of river between the dam and the pump station that will help aerate and settle some of the suspended matter in the water," he said.

"However, it is likely the water will have some colour and possibly a noticeable earthy or musty taste.

The water would be disinfected, as usual, and monitoring would be increased to help determine what actions could be implemented to help improve the quality of the water.

In relation to the Bega-Tathra water supply system, Mr McLeod said the water level in the aquifer had fallen about 2.5 metres since September and was approaching the level achieved in the 1982-83 drought.

However, the depth of the bores and improvements to the High Street pump station in 1987 meant there were no supply problems at this stage.

Likewise, there were no immediate problems with the Bemboka supply system but the situation may change if the drought worsens.

The timing of the restrictions is planned for when irrigation along the Brogo River is suspended and water released from the dam is primarily for council supply.

This is anticipated some time within the next two weeks, assuming no rain falls in the catchment area to replenish supplies in the meantime.

DROUGHT FIGURES

The state government's January drought figures prepared by NSW Agriculture show that the South Coast Rural Lands Protection Board included in the 99 per cent of NSW now officially drought declared.

A further 0.6 per cent of the state is officially drought affected with the remaining 0.4 per cent considered satisfactory.

The latest drought declaration information covers the State's 48 Rural Lands Protection Board areas and now includes the Gundagai Rural Lands Protection Board area and the remaining parts of Bombala Rural Lands Protection Board area.

Only a tiny part of Cooma RLPB is drought free.

Although the recent rain provided an optimistic start to the New Year, drought conditions persist across the State.

NSW is facing a once-in-100-years drought, the worst since 1903.

The State Government is currently providing water-carting assistance to 15 towns in rural and regional NSW.