Valley farmers are waiting for a drought declaration from the governor.
A drought declaration would ease some restrictions and get water to farms in the Central Valley.
The governor spent Monday morning in Fresno meeting with farmers and members of the Westlands Water District.
Firebaugh farmer Joe Del Bosque was in the meeting.
"I think he was very open to learning about the drought and how it's effecting us," Del Bosque said.
Del Bosque says farmers may have to let their land sit idle if there isn't water for crops.
"For this year we won't be able to plant some of our annual crops like tomatoes or melon. Next year we could even lose our orchards," Del Bosque said.
Snow pack in the Sierra is only a fifth of what it usually is this time of year.
The governor says he is aware of the problem.
"We have to take this drought very seriously. In many ways it's a mega drought. It's been going on for a number of years," Governor Jerry Brown said.
If the governor issues a drought declaration it could make it easier to divert water to the Central Valley where it's the lifeblood to thousands of acres of crops.
"We're talking about short term issues of declaring a drought so that state agencies have more flexibility in how they move water around the valley," state assemblyman Henry T. Perea said.
If the governor doesn't act, farm workers will have to look elsewhere for work. And local farmers say it could put them out of business.
The Latino Water Coalition is leading a march on Sacramento Thursday.
A dozen buses will leave Fresno and travel to the capitol to lobby lawmakers and the governor to release water that's stored in reservoirs for valley crops.
A drought declaration would ease some restrictions and get water to farms in the Central Valley.
The governor spent Monday morning in Fresno meeting with farmers and members of the Westlands Water District.
Firebaugh farmer Joe Del Bosque was in the meeting.
"I think he was very open to learning about the drought and how it's effecting us," Del Bosque said.
Del Bosque says farmers may have to let their land sit idle if there isn't water for crops.
"For this year we won't be able to plant some of our annual crops like tomatoes or melon. Next year we could even lose our orchards," Del Bosque said.
Snow pack in the Sierra is only a fifth of what it usually is this time of year.
The governor says he is aware of the problem.
"We have to take this drought very seriously. In many ways it's a mega drought. It's been going on for a number of years," Governor Jerry Brown said.
If the governor issues a drought declaration it could make it easier to divert water to the Central Valley where it's the lifeblood to thousands of acres of crops.
"We're talking about short term issues of declaring a drought so that state agencies have more flexibility in how they move water around the valley," state assemblyman Henry T. Perea said.
If the governor doesn't act, farm workers will have to look elsewhere for work. And local farmers say it could put them out of business.
The Latino Water Coalition is leading a march on Sacramento Thursday.
A dozen buses will leave Fresno and travel to the capitol to lobby lawmakers and the governor to release water that's stored in reservoirs for valley crops.