Journal of Agricultural Science and Technology A 2 (2012) 335-344 Earlier title: Journal of Agricultural Science and Technology, ISSN 1939-1250 Climate Change and Water Resources: Strategies and Practices for Improved Water Management in Arid Countries B. S. Choudri and Mushtaque Ahmed Center for Environmental Studies and Research (CESAR), Sultan Qaboos University, PC 123, Al-Khod, Muscat, Oman Received: November 21, 2011/ Published: March 20, 2012. Abstract: Assessment report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) highlighted the complex linkages between climate change and water. The likely warmer climate induced by the climate change is set to alter hydrological cycle and the shifting pattern of the rainfall would affect the spatial and temporal distribution of runoff, soil moisture, and surface and groundwater reserves. Therefore, there is an urgent need to assess the impacts of climate change on water and devise adaptation measures including management structures and processes by which one can deal with this challenge. The paper highlights with the global overview of climate change impacts on water in the arid region, supported and substantiated through scientific evidence drawn from IPCC reports and other relevant documents. This paper provides an overview of water resource management challenges including transboundary geopolitical concerns documented across the world and emphasizes the importance of an integrated framework for adaptive policy making. Further, it examines the viable water resource management options for various sectors and regions and showcases some of the international best practices in adaptation and mitigation. The paper also explains the complementary role of traditional knowledge in coping with climate change risks and uncertainties and the need for a balanced view in designing adaptation and mitigation strategies. Key words: Climate change, rainfall, water resource management, adaptation. 1. Introduction The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) [1] in its Fourth Assessment Report (AR4) assessed, in depth, the complex linkages between climate change and water. Warmer climate is likely to change the hydrological system and the shifting pattern of the rainfall would affect the spatial and temporal distribution of runoff, soil moisture, and surface and groundwater reserves. Melting of glaciers, snow and ice sheets further contributes to increases in sea level. This in turn would have worldwide impacts on ground and surface water supply. Based on projections of the IPCC, it is clear that in the near Corresponding author: B. S. Choudri, Ph.D., senior researcher (research scientist), research fields: environmental management. E-mail: bchoudri@squ.edu.om. future, some parts of the world would have a large number of people living under water stress. There is, therefore, an urgent need to assess the impacts of climate change on water and devise adaptation measures including management structures and processes by which one can deal with this challenge. The arid regions of the world is one of the most water stressed regions in the whole world, and climate change, which is projected to increase the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events such as droughts and floods, as well as decrease precipitation will contribute to even worse water scarcity in the region [2]. Therefore, the objective of this paper is to provide an overview of water resource management challenges including transboundary geopolitical concerns D DAVID PUBLISHING