Climate Change Impacts on Water Resources: Hydrological Responses and Adaptation Strategies for Water Security
Keywords:
Climate change, water resources, hydrological response, water security, rainfall variability, runoff changes, evapotranspiration, glacier melt, groundwater recharge, extreme eventsAbstract
Climate change has emerged as one of the most significant and complex drivers influencing global water resources, fundamentally altering the natural balance of the hydrological cycle. Rising global temperatures, shifting precipitation patterns, and increasing frequency and intensity of extreme weather events are reshaping hydrological systems across all climatic zones. These changes directly impact surface water availability, groundwater recharge rates, soil moisture dynamics, and overall water quality, thereby intensifying existing water stress in many regions of the world.
The implications of these hydrological disruptions are far-reaching, posing serious threats to water security, agricultural productivity, ecosystem stability, and socio-economic development. In particular, vulnerable regions are experiencing increased incidence of droughts, floods, and seasonal water shortages, which exacerbate inequality and resource conflicts. This review synthesizes current scientific understanding of climate-induced hydrological responses, with emphasis on key processes such as alterations in surface runoff, evapotranspiration rates, glacier and snowmelt dynamics, and changes in groundwater recharge and storage.
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