An emergency inquiry to examine options for getting more water to the Lakes has found there's really no water to send there and found "the problems in the Lower Lakes are primarily the result of the current drought".

It said management scenarios would be influenced by how long it is before there was enough rain to deliver adequate flows to the Lower Lakes.

The committee found recent rain in the area had bought the Lakes some time, but found snow run off would be limited and the outlook for the region was still grim until breaking rains eventuate throughout the basin.

"The committee notes that rainfall sufficient to generate enough runoff to increase flows at the lakes end of the system is unlikely in the near future," the report says.

"The committee understands that current models predict a dryer future for the basin which will make reform for the levels of diversions permitted under the Murray-Darling cap more pressing."

The report did look into the possibility of compulsory acquisition of high-security irrigation water as one of the few remaining options for getting water to the Lakes, seeing so little was available on the open market.

However the committee concluded this was "neither warranted or appropriate" the report says.

It concludes rather frankly that "there is not enough water in the system. This is the result of over-allocations, the current unprecedented drought, and the emerging impacts of climate change".

"The situation in the Coorong and Lower Lakes is not unique. Sites right across the Basin are suffering, all users have very little water and the majority of water held in storages is required for very high priority needs or to cover losses."