The Murrumbidgee catchment region has one of the most diverse climates in New South Wales, ranging from the alpine areas of Kosciusko National Park and the Monaro plains, through to the grazing and grain belts of the southwest slopes and plains and the shrublands and grasslands of the semi-arid western Riverina.

Covering an area of 84,000 square kilometres, the Murrumbidgee region is home to approximately 545,000 people. Australia's capital, Canberra, with 314,000 people, and NSW's largest inland city of Wagga Wagga, with 57,000 people, are both situated within the catchment. Other major towns include Cooma, Queanbeyan, Yass, Tumut, Narrandera, Griffith, Hay and Balranald.

Murrumbidgee catchment grows an average of 4 000 hectares of cotton annually, producing 37 500 bales for the Australian cotton industry.