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The light of the approaching dawn is reflected in an irrigation holding pond at a farm on October 10, 2007 in the Coachella Valley near Mecca, California. Southern California farmers are being hit with a 30-percent cut in water supplies as prolonged drought conditions continue. The cutbacks could threaten the ability of these Riverside County farms to grow crops like grapes, bell peppers and dates and pressure a rise in prices at markets in other states. Such crops are widely distributed and support the county's $1.1 billion agriculture industry. The Los Angeles Metropolitan Water District (MWD) has announced that its 18 million customers will eventually pay higher rates and face mandatory rationing if the drought continues. In San Diego, residents are being asked to consume no more than 20 gallons a day and the city of Long Beach prohibits daytime lawn watering more than three times a week. 2007 is the driest year since records began in Los Angeles 130 years ago.

| Dec 27th 2007 5:55PM

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