In the Fallon area, farmers are anxiously awaiting whatever water they can get for this irrigation season. And they know it won't be much.

"We're set for a 20% allocation for irrigating water this season which is the lowest on record," says Rusty Jardine, Executive Director of the Truckee Carson Irrigation District.   

And while that is expected to be a hardship, Jardine says the season will be further complicated by the conditions.

"It's so very dry out there and has been for so long that we do expect losses. Losses in crops but also losses in the water because we expect it to just soak right into the ground when we do release it."

Agriculture officials say even though farmers will have to be picky about which crops they the water on, they say Nevada is actually ahead of planning for the drought as compared to California.

"In California they are now offering double the amount they were offering last year to buy water rights and bring water to L.A.," says Lynne Hettrick with the State Agriculture Department. "There, that doubled price is $700 an acre foot. Here in Nevada water goes for like $9000 an acre foot. California has had so much water to work with for so long they don't value it. And with a drought like this and with prices like that you have to value it and you have to learn to conserve it."

The TCID is holding a special meeting this Friday to discuss the situation and expects to begin releasing water from Lahonton into the Fallon area early next week.     

Written by Erin Breen