EXPLAINER: How cities in the West have water amid drought

Water drips from a faucet near boat docks sitting on dry land at the Browns Ravine Cove area of drought-stricken Folsom Lake, in Folsom, Calif., on May 22, 2021. The sight of fountains, swimming pools, gardens and golf courses in Western cities like Phoenix, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, San Diego and Albuquerque can seem jarring with drought and climate change tightening their grip on the region. But Western water experts say they aren’t necessarily cause for concern. Many Western cities over the past three decades have diversified their water sources, boosted local supplies, and use water more efficiently now than in the past.(Josh Edelson/AP, File)