Murrumbidgee Valley irrigators back with summer crops, full water allocation after years of drought SunSunday 24 JanJanuary 2021 at 5:40am Gogeldrie farmers Marg and Garry Knagge are growing rice for the first time in three years. ( Share Print text only Cancel There is a spring in the step of irrigators in southern New South Wales who are growing summer crops like rice for the first time in three years. Key points: Some farmers are growing rice again for the first time in three years Increased water allocations have given farmers the confidence to experiment with new crops Irrigators in the Murrumbidgee Valley were recently given a full water allocation for the first time since 2016.