LOS ANGELES - California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger on Friday asked President Barack Obama to declare a federal disaster in the drought-stricken heart of the state's agricultural industry.

As well as requesting federal support for parched Fresno County, Schwarzenegger also issued a local order allowing for emergency state funds to be made available to the region, part of California's Central Valley.

"California's Central Valley is our nation's agricultural engine and unemployment here is devastating the economy and hurting the people of California," said Schwarzenegger.

"These are dire circumstances -- no water means no work -- and no work means people cannot feed their families."

Schwarzenegger had declared a drought emergency in California in February as the state braced for another year of low rainfall.

According to a recent study, 70,000 jobs are threatened by drought in the Central Valley, where unemployment has already topped 20 percent in some areas.