Broad patterns of change in a key areas are familiar to many in the water resources community. Basic changes in climatic systems are occurring. These changes will cascades at varying time scales through regional hydrologic systems and, equally importantly, through the knowledge and institutional systems we use to monitor, interpret and allocate water resources. Core probabilistic concepts - the 100 year flood, average annual rainfall, sedimentation rates, etc. – are founded on assumptions of climate stationarity that must now be recognized as incorrect. This, in turn, has implications for everything from infrastructure design to the nature of water rights and allocation systems. Transformative changes processes aren’t, however, just limited to climate. Hydrologic systems are being fundamentally reshaped as drainage systems are altered and land used evolve. Such direct changes in water resources systems are a product of equally great changes in social systems. The above changes transform the governance needs and contexts in relation to water. Many local water management strategies – whether for domestic water supply, irrigation or watersheds have been founded on assumptions regarding the presence of a geographically centered community with a degree of interest in water management outcomes. At a higher scale, the focus on basins within the Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) paradigm assumed that the primary dynamics affecting water resources use and management options occurred as a result of interactions within basins. This paper examines the current status of water resources assessment for both conventional and non-conventional in Oman and the foreseen impacts of climatic changes. Expected impacts of these changes on water resources, infrastructure and up-coming planned development schemes are formulated and discussed. Keywords: Climate change, Oman, water resources, development schemes.

Broad patterns of change in a key areas are familiar to many in the water resources community. Basic changes in climatic systems are occurring. These changes will cascades at varying time scales through regional hydrologic systems and, equally importantly, through the knowledge and institutional ...