Environmentalists have slammed Australia's new drought envoy Barnaby Joyce, describing his calls to divert water to farmers as "ill-informed" and likely to inflict further harm on river communities.

The former deputy prime minister, who assumed his new role at the weekend, wants the Federal Government to "borrow" water so farmers can use it to grow crops to feed livestock.

He said the drought was an emergency and should be treated like a bushfire, which would allow for resources to be taken without seeking permission.

"The alternative view is the water that is going to the environment is going past the irrigation properties that could grow fodder to keep cattle alive," he said.

Mr Joyce also called for new provisions to allow for farmers to clear mulga trees to feed to livestock - an idea states have attempted to limit to reduce land clearing.

"We have to look at the resources we have, we have to work out how to get grain to the areas where you need... but you need fodder to go with it and then hope and pray for rain," he said.

The Australian Conservation Foundation's Paul Sinclair called Mr Joyce's comments "ill-informed" and said it would risk the health of the Murray-Darling Basin and communities that rely on heathy rivers.

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"The Murray-Darling river system is also in drought. The river system and its wildlife, wetlands and forests need governments to protect its right to a share of available water to survive the drought," he said.

"The water clawed back from irrigators with billions of dollars of Australian government money needs to be used for the reasons it was recovered — making sure we all benefit from a healthy river."

Environmental flows are held across various parts of the river system under the Murray-Darling Basin Plan.

Liberal MP Sussan Ley, whose electorate takes in the bulk of south-west New South Wales, earlier this month urged the Federal Government borrow environmental water to support drought-affected farmers.

Farmers in far western NSW, some of whom are enduring their worst drought, have backed the idea in the hope it would help them grow food for their livestock.

But it sparked outrage from former Commonwealth environmental water holder David Papps, who until January had spent five years in charge of ensuring the Murray-Darling Basin benefited from environmental flows.

He took to Twitter to say borrowing water was not an option under Commonwealth law.

"[The] timing of [environmental flows] is critical to their success [and] hard to do if water has been 'borrowed' potentially across many years," Mr Papps wrote.

"You are just putting the environment last, which is what got us into this mess in the first instance."

Opposition water spokesman Tony Burke dismissed the idea and said: "Thank God Barnaby Joyce isn't actually in charge of anything.

"Barnaby Joyce's assumption that the water will be used to grow lucerne only works if the lucerne was planted back in April, otherwise it won't be there.

"The most likely outcome will be water at a high price will be purchased by those growing high-value crops like cotton or almonds."

Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young slammed Mr Joyce for the proposal.

"Barnaby Joyce has used his first day on the job to go back to his old tricks — trying to rip water off of the environment," she said.

"Quick fixes won't help farmers, and further degrading the environment and diluting the Murray-Darling Basin Plan will hinder the next generation of farmers."

Farmers have mixed reaction to Barnaby Joyce appointment

National Farmers' Federation president Fiona Simson said her organisation was "still getting our heads around what exactly Barnaby will be doing".

She described him as a "passionate advocate for rural and regional Australia" and said she wanted to see how his role would work alongside the newly announced drought coordinator, Major General Stephen Day.

But not all in the farming community have welcomed Mr Joyce's appointment.

Farmers the ABC spoke with said Mr Joyce had five years as the agriculture minister and had failed to implement an adequate government approach to drought.

Others fear his stance on climate change risks politicising the government's response to drought.

Cabinet minister and Nationals senator Matt Canavan said the government wanted to support farmers in a way that would also support the environment.

He said Mr Joyce would keep the government focused on drought and give a voice to the farmers affected.