Water usage complaint left in limbo despite allegation to NSW government

Officer alleged drains diverting water bought by the commonwealth to a dam on a cotton farm, an allegation denied by the land owner

A complaint from an environmental officer about water being diverted from environmental flows to sensitive wetlands in the Gwydir catchment in western New South Wales to a dam on a large cotton farm is still in limbo nine months later, despite a detailed brief and photographs being provided by one arm of the NSW government to another.

Documents obtained by Guardian Australia show that an officer from the environment department's north-western region contacted counterparts in WaterNSW in January to complain that they thought that newly graded drains were diverting water bought by the commonwealth and earmarked for environmental flows to sensitive wetlands around Mallowa Creek, west of Moree.